Sermons Blog - Calvary: Recent Episodes
Calvary Baptist Church of Holland
Acts 1:1-11
PDF Manuscript: Life on Mission - Gazing into HeavenThe English playwright Alan Bennett wrote a famous play about a king known for being quite crazy. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, England had four kings in succession. All of them were named George. George III suffered from mental illness during his reign—most likely a condition called porphyria. The name of Bennett’s play was The Madness of George III.
In the 1990s, filmmakers were in the process of turning his play into a movie when they ran into a problem. We’re all used to sequels. For example, there wasn’t just a Rocky movie. There was Rocky II, as well as Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Rocky V (which was really a letdown). So, they worried that if they called it The Madness of George III, people would assume they had somehow missed two other films and wouldn’t go see it. So, they just called it The Madness of King George.
When we come to the opening paragraph of the book of Acts, we need to know that we are opening a sequel. Acts is the continuation of a story about the things Jesus did and taught. If Acts is part two of the story, the Gospel of Luke is part one. If you’ve ever taken a class from, been in a small group with, or just had an extended conversation with Brian Allen, then you probably have a grasp of the basic plot line of Luke’s Gospel.
So, why study the book of Acts? Why now? There are a number of good reasons to study Acts, but perhaps the most compelling is that we find in the pages of this book the very core of the church’s mission. It’s a powerful account of a movement that was sparked by everything Jesus did and taught. A movement of the gospel that gives shape to what we believe about the church—and our role in all of it. In fact, the title The Acts of the Apostles is a bit of a misnomer. The book isn’t so much about what human beings accomplished in their own strength, but about what God is continuing to do to build his kingdom. It really should be called The Acts of the Holy Spirit in and through God’s People. Why study Acts? I think if we give careful attention to Acts, our understanding of the church will deepen. It will help us to see afresh what the mission of the church is, why we exist, and how ordinary people should live on mission for Jesus.
Psalms 51
PDF Manuscript: Spiritual Awakening - Brokenness
Unchecked sin can only lead to a hard heart. We can begin to unpack the truth of this statement with a familiar story. Once, there were two men: a rich man and a poor man. The rich man was very rich. He had abundant wealth, flocks, and herds. On the other hand, the poor man was very poor. This man didn’t own anything of particular value except one small ewe lamb. He loved that lamb like it was part of his family. The lamb played with his children. Although they had meager provisions, the lamb would eat at the table and drink from her master’s cup. At night, the lamb would sleep securely, snuggled up in the poor man’s arms. It happens that the rich man received an important guest from out of town. As he considered what he would prepare for his guest, he looked over the abundance of his flocks but could not bring himself to slaughter any of his own sheep. Instead, he took the lamb from the house of the poor man and served him to his guest.
As you hear this story, perhaps your initial response is one of anger or outrage. How could this man get away with such a despicable act? The Bible tells us King David was furious. When the Prophet Nathan stood before him and told him the same story, he exclaimed, “As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!” (2 Samuel 12:5). But it’s then that Nathan tells David the true point of the story: “David, that man is you.” You can almost feel the weight of that moment. It was the time that David’s sin had finally found him out.
You see, David was not really in any position to cast moral judgments on others. 2 Samuel tells us the sordid events leading up to Nathan’s story. It was springtime, the time when kings march out to war. Instead of leading Israel’s army in battle, David entrusts that duty to Joab, his general. David takes something of a vacation in Jerusalem. One evening, during the cool of the day, David took a stroll on the palace rooftop. As he did so, his eyes happened upon a very beautiful woman taking a bath. Instead of averting his eyes, he is captivated by her. Unlike Joseph, who fled from temptation rather than sinning against God, David seems to have forgotten about God entirely. He asks his servants about this woman only to find out she is married to one of David’s faithful soldiers, Uriah. Not to be deterred, he sends for her, and in his passion commits adultery with her. Does he repent of this sin? No, he sends her home in secret. Of course, it is not long afterward that he receives a message from her telling him she is pregnant. David is in a very awkward spot. He has just had an adulterous affair with another man’s wife, and now the chickens have come home to roost. There are always consequences for our sin. Yet, instead of being broken over his sin and turning to the Lord for forgiveness, he attempts to cover up his sin with more sin. Unchecked sin can only lead to a hard heart.
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
PDF Manuscript: Spiritual Awakening - Weakness
What if one of God’s greatest gifts in your life right now is the very thing you want him to take away? In her book Tramp for the Lord, Corrie ten Boom tells the story of an old woman she met in Russia in the time of the Communist persecution of Christians during the Cold War:
The old woman was lying on a small sofa propped up by pillows. Her body was bent and twisted almost beyond recognition by the dread disease of multiple sclerosis. Her aged husband spent all his time caring for her since she was unable to move off the sofa … [The only part of her body she could control was her right hand. And with the index finger of that hand she had for many years glorified God by typing on a vintage typewriter beside her.] All day and far into the night, she would type. [She translated Christian books into Russian.] Always using just that one finger—peck … peck … peck—she typed out the pages. Portions of the Bible, the books of Billy Graham … and Corrie ten Boom …
"Not only does she translate books," her husband said as he hovered close by during our conversation, "but she prays for these [people] every day while she types. Sometimes it takes a long time for her finger to hit the key, or for her to get the paper in the machine, but all the time she's praying for those whose books she's working on." [Corrie ten Boom writes]: I looked at her wasted form on the sofa, her head pulled down and her feet curled under her body. "Oh Lord, why don't you heal her?" I cried inwardly.
Her husband, sensing my anguish of soul, gave the answer. "God has a purpose in her sickness. Every other Christian in the city is watched by the secret police. But because she has been sick so long, no one ever looks in on her. They leave us alone and she is the only person in all the city who can type quietly undetected by the police."
One day Corrie received a letter from that lady's husband that described the day she had gone home to be with the Lord. The husband explained that the woman had worked until midnight that very night of her death, typing with one finger to the glory of God.
Who would have thought that multiple sclerosis could be a gift from God? Has it ever occurred to you that the very thing you most want removed from your life might be the very thing God uses in the greatest way for his glory? That was precisely the situation of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, which is our passage this morning. It’s an important message the Lord has for us because, in these verses, we learn that every believer should glory and delight in his or her weaknesses. In fact, weakness is the way to greater glory.
Daniel 4:1-37
PDF Manuscript: Spiritual AwakeninG - HumilityThe other day, our family was watching a documentary on ocean life—everything from the smallest of fish to whales and sharks. It’s incredible when you stop to think about the vast amount of life that exists at sea. Did you know that the Pufferfish can inflate into a ball shape to evade predators? They’re sometimes known as blowfish. They fill their elastic stomachs with huge amounts of water, and sometimes air, blowing themselves up to several times their normal size. However, they also contain a toxic substance that makes them foul tasting and potentially deadly to other fish. The toxin is deadly to humans—1,200 times more deadly than cyanide. There is enough poison in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.
Like Pufferfish, we can blow ourselves up with pride and arrogance to make ourselves look bigger than we really are. Pride is a toxin that poisons our lives—our marriages, our friendships, our church, and our souls. This morning, I want us to see that pride is the greatest barrier to what God wants to do in our lives. Donald Grey Barnhouse once said, “Christ sends none away empty but those who are full of themselves.” Everything that God wants to do in our lives, pride opposes.
Well, why talk about pride today? Three weeks from now, Life Action is returning to our church. Most of you are aware that this type of event is designed to teach us principles of spiritual revival and awakening in our own lives. But unless we prepare ourselves, it’s possible this will simply be another event that comes and goes. Richard Lovelace once said that revival is defined as an “awakening to a true knowledge of God and self.” In other words, the spark of revival is built upon an accurate understanding of the greatness of God and the depth of our sin. It’s like the prophet Isaiah in chapter 6 of his book when he sees a vision of the holiness and the power of God. It strikes at the root of his own self-understanding, and he responds by saying, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
I want to spend three Sundays considering how we might set the stage for spiritual renewal in our lives. We begin today by looking at Daniel 4. It’s a story of a man, Nebuchadnezzar, whose vision of God and understanding of self were terribly obscured. It details his journey from pride to humility, by way of a great fall.
As you’ll see, it’s somewhat of a strange story. But even though we might feel far removed, its relevance holds. The human heart is still the same—susceptible to pride, and the God of the universe still knows how to humble the proud. He still knows how to remove the greatest barrier to the work of God in your life. But how far will God go in order to humble us? I’m going to read verses 28 through 37, but if you will, keep your Bibles open as we draw from the chapter in its entirety.
Ephesians 6:18-20
PDF Manuscrit: The Whole Armor of God - Praying AlwaysI don’t think there is anything more difficult than prayer. Would you agree? If you experience has been anything like mine, prayer is that discipline you always feel you haven’t quite gotten right. It’s a struggle. We wonder, “What good does it do?” We find it frustrating because our minds wander, and then we feel guilty. We don’t always know how to pray. And we’re so busy that when we slow down to pray, we feel uncomfortable as if we need to be doing other things. To top it all off, you then hear a sermon on prayer or read a book on prayer and it leaves you crushed by the inadequate prayer life. But I believe that the reason why it’s the most difficult thing we could ever do, has to do with the fact that it’s the most important thing we could ever do. Listen to how Jame M. Boice puts it, “Our secret resource is prayer. And what makes it so important is that the weakest Christian can at any period of his life at any moment of the day and in any circumstance cry out to God for help and instantly have the resources of the infinite, sovereign God at his disposal.”
We’ve spent the last seven weeks talking about spiritual warfare, and particularly the armor of God that is described for us in Ephesians 6. God has given us armor and weapons for the struggle against the powers of evil. He’s given us a belt—the truth about God and us to defeat Satan’s lies. He’s given us a breastplate—a positional righteousness in Christ to stand against the accusations of Satan. He’s given us shoes—the gospel of peace. He’s given us a shield of faith—a trust against temptation. A helmet of salvation—an assurance that protects us from doubt. And the sword of the Spirit—the word of God, proclaimed in the face of the enemy’s assaults. After describing all of those, Paul comes not to another piece of armor, but to prayer. In so doing, he teaches us that a life without prayer, is a life of defeat.
We’ve talked about the various pieces of armor and how they help us to stand against the devil, but it is not simply enough to have the armor. It’s not enough to know the truth about God. It’s not enough to know how the enemy tempts and deceives us. It’s not enough to know how each piece of armor counters the attack. It means very little, unless we have intimacy with God through prayer. Prayer is not so much another weapon. It’s how we put on the armor. It’s the means by which we tap into the very power of God. The power we need to resist the evil one.
Samuel Chadwick said, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless study, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, he mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” The connection between spiritual warfare, and prayer, is this: The only way we can stand against the schemes of the devil is on our knees in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18
PDF Manuscript: The Whole Armor of God - The Sword of the SpiritTo be a Christian is to be a warrior. The premise of our series is that we’re in a fight. Every day is a battle with a real enemy who seeks to weaken, deceive, and lead believers astray. The potential for us to fall into sin, discouragement, and despair is very serious. So, part of why we’re spending so much time looking at the armor of God is that protection against spiritual attack is not automatic. Simply being a child of God does not guarantee that we can skip through life insulated from demonic influence and invulnerable to the schemes and strategies of the enemy. There is a real war—an invisible war.
Paul, in Ephesians 4:27, reminds us that we should give no opportunity to the devil. Now, I don’t know how often you think about ways in which you might be opening doors to the enemy, but before we look at the next piece of armor, I want you to give some consideration to this. Of course, I’m not talking about little slip-ups here or there. I have in mind:
· Failure to resist the devil (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9)
· Not praying for divine protection (Matthew 6:13)
· More voluntary activities such as astrology, palm reading, tarot cards, and Ouija boards (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)
· Willful, unrepentant, and unresolved sin (1 Timothy 3:7)
To be a Christian is to be a warrior, and to be successful, we need not only to know how the enemy works but how we can combat him. Which brings us to our last piece of the armor of God—the sword of the Spirit. Even though we’re going to look especially at verse 17, I want to read verses 10 through 18 as we have each week.
We come to the final piece of our armor this morning—the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. There are two Greek words for “sword.” One is romphaia, which refers to the long sword. But Paul uses the word machaira, which refers to the short sword, or one that was twelve to fourteen inches long. More like a dagger. Remove from your mind any image you might have of the longer sword seen in Zorro or Pirates of the Caribbean. Paul is talking about the kind of sword used in close, hand-to-hand combat. Remember, Paul calls this the evil day. This is the day in which Satan and his army are pressing in on you and launching a frontal assault on your world, on your family, on your mind, and in your circumstances. Here’s why this is important: if we are going to defeat temptation, cut through the lies, and stand firm, then we will need to learn how to struggle for our sanctification with the sword of the Spirit.
Some argue that since the sword is our only offensive weapon, spiritual warfare is largely, if not exclusively, defensive. But, I think that’s a misunderstanding of the metaphor. The sword was the only offensive weapon a Roman soldier carried. Paul’s not making a point as to whether spiritual warfare was mainly offensive or defensive. Instead, the armor is to prepare us for the battle that is real, present, and never ceasing.
Ephesians 6:17
PDF Manuscript: The Armor of God - The Helmet of SalvationA violent battle is raging around us twenty-four hours a day. A battle in which the enemy is too numerous to count. On top of that, the enemy is completely invisible. You can’t see them. In 1965, Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote a book about it called The Invisible War. Part of that battle is the battle for your mind. It’s a vicious, intense, unrelenting battle, and the reason why it is so intense is that your greatest asset is your mind.
One of the deadly weapons hurled at us is often nothing more than something as innocent as a thought. But these thoughts we must deal with every moment of our life. Satan is real, he’s powerful, and he seeks to take our minds. But what I believe is just as tragic is for a Christian to go through life never learning to put on the helmet of salvation. Francis Schaeffer once said, “The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought world.” That’s exactly what I want to talk to you about this morning—the battle for your mind—as we continue our study of Ephesians 6.
Over the last several weeks, we’ve been studying this passage on the invisible war. Our passage makes clear that the war Paul is talking about is not primarily with other people, but with Satan and those who follow him. Satan was created to be an angel, and then he rebelled against God. Our best guess is that he took one-third of the other angels with him. However, he’s like a dog on a leash. He’s still under God’s reign, and his power is limited. Nonetheless, this cosmic battle is one in which you and I are caught up. The enemy wants to discover some entry point whereby he might gain a foothold—a way to deceive us, a way to lead us further from Christ, a way to diminish our confidence and hope in the gospel.
Well, that brings us to the fifth piece of armor that we are told to take up: the helmet of salvation. It’s interesting that the six pieces of armor are divided into two categories. The first three are said as “having.” We always have the belt of truth; we always have the breastplate of righteousness; we always have the shoes of the gospel. But he changes the verb from “having put on” to “take” when it comes to the last three. We’re to take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit. In other words, there really needs to be a conscious effort to apply them.
Ephessians 6:16
PDF Manuscript: The Whole Armor of God - The Shield of FaithDo you ever wake up with the weight of your insufficiencies bearing down on you? Do you find that there is a cloud of despair so dark that you can’t imagine anything else on the other side? Do you ever find that your mind becomes consumed by thoughts that seem to stick with you all day? Perhaps they are thoughts not only about how unworthy you are but also about how little there is that you can do about it.
You might think or feel that you’re the only Christian who deals with such doubts and despair. Maybe you’re under the impression that there are some believers that are so spiritual they never struggle with their flesh, with temptation, and with remaining sin. None of us are exempt from spiritual battles—both internal and external.
Martin Luther describes such bouts of despair as Anfechtungen. That’s a German word that does not have a direct English translation. It carries the sense of terror and despair due to an inability to trust God’s goodness. To be more specific, it is a place in which you come to realize your inability to withstand the judgment of God on your own. Historian David Steinmetz describes the terror which Luther experiences at these times as a fear that “God had turned his back on him once and for all,” abandoning him “to suffer the pains of hell.” Feeling “alone in the universe,” Luther “doubted his own faith, his own mission, and the goodness of God—doubts which, because they verged on blasphemy, drove him deeper and deeper” into despair. His prayers met a “wall of indifferent silence.” He experienced heart palpitations, crying spells, and profuse sweating. He was convinced that he would die soon and go straight to hell. “For more than a week I was close to the gates of death and hell. I trembled in all my members. Christ was wholly lost. I was shaken by desperation and blasphemy of God.” He “despised himself and murmured against God.” In fact, his friend Philip Melanchthon said that the terrors afflicting Luther become so severe, he almost died.
What do you do when it feels like you’re under attack and you can barely survive? Not just despair, but temptations, fear, doubt, discouragement, worry, wanting to give up? Well, the Apostle Paul tells us about a great defense that’s been given to us.
Ephesians 6:15
PDF Manuscript: The Whole Armor of God - Gospel ShoesIn Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As the plot thickens, it is revealed that her mysterious mentor is really a demented man who wants to carry her away into a bizarre underworld beneath the opera house. What the girl thinks is a supernatural agent sent by her beloved father is really a madman who wants to possess her for his own ends. The “Angel of Music” is evil masquerading as good.
The believer in Christ also faces an evil one who masquerades. One of Satan’s key strategies is to look like someone who is good. Paul told us, “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). He is a master of misrepresentation who works in every way to deceive Christians. Yet, in preparing us to face the evil strategies of the devil, God has provided all the equipment we need to stand our ground. That’s why we’ve been slowly working our way through Ephesians 6, and what I’d like us to see in particular today is this: Without a firm foothold in Christ, we are easy prey for the devil.
We've been talking for several weeks about the invisible war that is being fought all around us—a war with Satan and his angels. You see, he rules a dark, organized empire with spiritual beings under him. They are fallen angels that the text refers to as rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this present darkness. Spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. They're intelligent, they're organized, they're unspeakably wicked. They hate all humanity—especially Christians. The devil and his angels, the demons, constantly assault Christians all over the world with invisible weapons, pulling us away from righteousness and towards sin. These attacks come in the form of temptations, or accusations, or doubts. Above all, they are invisible assaults on our souls. The call in Ephesians 6, however, is to stand firm and fight.
Ephesians 6:14
PDF MANUSCRIPT: The Whole Armor of God - The Breastplate of RighteousnessIf you are a true believer, Satan and his forces have a plan to terrorize your soul. Did you know that? He’s your enemy. He hates you. He doesn’t want you to be a part of the kingdom of light but the kingdom of darkness. He wants to make you ineffective for Christ. He wants to drown you in guilt and condemnation, and he wants to make your life one of misery and spiritual defeat.
This is why we’re studying Ephesians 6 right now. It’s for two reasons. First: Satan hates you. He wants to bring you down, and he will use every trick in the book in order to defeat you. Second: Satan hates this church. He hates that we exist. He hates when we worship. He would like nothing better than to harm our congregation.
Yet, God tells us repeatedly in Ephesians 6 to stand firm against the enemy. More than just telling us to stand firm, he has provided a way for us to do so. In other words, he says you can stand firm.
This morning we are going to be looking at the second piece of armor, the breastplate of righteousness, and how it helps us in our defense. Because in this section of Scripture, the Apostle Paul has made it very clear that there is an invisible war taking place. It involves God, humans, angels, demons, principalities, and cosmic powers. We live in a present darkness in which the Satan is prince—for now. It’s not a matter of whether or not you want to be involved in the war. The reality is that the enemy has schemes and tactics that are directly aimed at you. If you’re not waging war, you’re not standing firm.
Last week, we looked at the first piece of armor, the belt of truth. Everything begins with adorning ourselves with the word of God. It’s the foundational piece that holds everything else together. One of Satan’s main tactics is to deceive us. He is the father of lies; he’s been lying since the beginning, and he lies to you. Satan cannot survive in a war with God’s truth. It’s our first line of defense.
Now we come to the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate was meant to protect all the vital organs. Think particularly of the heart. It was constructed out of bronze or some other metal. It would then be fitted over the head, hinged at the sides with leather straps and metal bars, and fastened at the waist. But what is Paul trying to get at with the concept of righteousness as a protective piece? Well, perhaps it’s easier to first consider how it is Satan attacks us.
Ephesians 6:14
PDF MANUSCRIPT: The Whole Armor of God - The Belt of TruthThe other night, I was reading a book to my son entitled, The Story of Ferdinand. It’s an old children’s story about a young bull in Spain who is rather different. While all his peers are hoping to be chosen for the bullfights in Madrid, Ferdinand would rather sit under his favorite cork tree and sniff the flowers. He has no interest in playing with the other calves. He certainly has no interest in fighting. Even though he grows to be the biggest and strongest of the bulls in his pasture, he’s content just smelling the flowers.
One day, five men come to the pasture to choose a bull for the bullfights. Ferdinand is again on his own, sniffing flowers, when he accidentally sits on a bumblebee. Upon getting stung, he runs wildly across the field, snorting and stamping. Mistaking Ferdinand for a mad and aggressive bull, the men rename him "Ferdinand the Fierce" and take him away to Madrid.
They take him to the arena in Madrid. It seems as though the entire city is there to watch. The Matador and the rest of the bullfighters are scared stiff when they see Ferdinand the Fierce. When they proceed to poke, prod, and provoke Ferdinand, he doesn’t move an inch. He sees all the flowers that the ladies in the audience are wearing in their hair and sits down to enjoy them. He wouldn’t fight; he just wanted to smell the flowers.
Well, I’m sure that story was meant to raise all sorts of questions about conformity, the ethical treatment of animals, and the value of peace vs aggression. But when I read it the other day, it made me think that there is a very real temptation for us to think that Christian life consists of sitting back and smelling the flowers. That it’s a life of ease, without struggle, and that generally, we should expect no adversity. And yet, the Bible tells us that we are engaged in a struggle. The Bible tells us that we have an adversary who is actively trying to destroy us. The Bible tells us that there is an invisible war, and you can’t afford to sit and smell the flowers.
I think it’s helpful to know the progression in Ephesians. You see, at the end of chapter 4, Paul provides a list of qualities that attend the normal Christian life: honesty, generosity, edification, forgiveness, etc. But in chapter 5, things go from personal to cosmic. He tells us that you—believers—were once children of the darkness (5:8), but now you are light in the Lord. He tells us that we are to walk as children of the light, taking no part in the unfruitful works of darkness. In fact, we should be exposing them. It’s a cosmic struggle between light and darkness. But where is it waged? In an arena? At a neutral location agreed upon by both parties? No, it takes place in our homes. How we conduct our marriages and how we parent. It takes place at work, in the office, or on the construction site. It takes place in our schools, as society pushes an agenda that is trying to redefine sexuality and gender. But most importantly, it takes place moment by moment, as we face temptation, as we are hindered in our pursuit of Christ, and as we are presented with lies.
Ephesians 6:10-13
PDF Manuscript: The Whole Armor of God - Dressed for BattleOn May 1, 1915, the Lusitania set sail from New York to Liverpool. Almost 2,000 people were on board, including 95 children and 39 infants. It was an amazing ship: fast, comfortable, and luxurious. But this voyage was to be its last. Days before the ship had left New York, The Imperial German Embassy placed a warning advertisement in 50 American newspapers, including some in New York:
“NOTICE! Travellers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany and her allies and Great Britain and her allies; that the zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles; that, in accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or any of her allies, are liable to destruction in those waters and that travellers sailing in the war zone on the ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.”
Despite that warning, people embarked on the Lusitania. Historical photos depict the ship leaving port on its last voyage, with people waving excitedly before going to their first-class cabins and enjoying all the food and amenities that the ship had to offer. Giving no thought to what might happen. May 7, near the end of her 202nd crossing, a German U-boat spotted the ship. At a 700-meter range, orders were given for one torpedo to be fired. A single torpedo hit the ship. Seawater drenched the passengers; children jumping rope on the deck stopped jumping. Within seconds, the ship rolled to the right. Eighteen minutes later, the ship sank, killing almost 1,200 of its passenger and crew. Never before had an attack on a civilian ship taken place like this. If only they hadn’t ignored the fact that they were sailing into a war zone.
We find ourselves in a similar position. War has been declared. We’re told to expect an attack, yet we find ourselves in a state of shock when opposition comes. For many of us, we’re expecting peacetime conditions when, in fact, it’s wartime. Of course, I’m talking about a different type of war—spiritual warfare. A war between light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell, Christ and Satan. I believe the vast majority of Christians are unaware that they’re even in a spiritual war. Yet, you cannot afford to be ignorant, and you cannot possibly be neutral. If you try to be neutral, you’ll find yourself in the most dangerous place of all. Charles Spurgeon once put it: “When you sleep, remember that you are resting on a battlefield; when you travel, suspect an ambush in every hedge.”
Mark 5:21-43
PDF MANUSCRIPT: Face to Face - A Sufferer’s Last HopeElie Wiesel, whose writings have focused on the Jewish Holocaust and its atrocities, was himself imprisoned by the Nazis at the age of 16. He endured unspeakable horrors at Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps. In his book, Night, he recounts one particular incident. Two adult men and a boy, 13 years old, had been caught hoarding weapons inside the camp. The boy had a refined, beautiful face that he said was like the “face of an angel in distress.” After being tortured, they were sentenced to death. The guards erected three gallows. All the other prisoners were faced to line up and watch—thousands of them. The two men, with nooses around their necks, shouted, “Long live liberty!” The boy said nothing.
But from the rows of anguished spectators, a cry came up, “Where is merciful God, where is He?” The chairs were tipped over. Silence fell over the entire camp. The prisoners were marched past the victims. The two men were no longer alive. But the third rope—the rope where the boy hung—was still moving. The boy, being lighter in weight, lingered between life and death for thirty minutes. Wiesel writes that behind him he heard the same man asking again, “Where is God?”
My guess is that many of us only hear or read about such evil. But I imagine there have been times in your life where you have asked that same question: “Where is God?” Perhaps you are asking that today. Your life is coming undone, and there does not seem to be any help around. A bad and unexpected report from the doctor. A marital crisis. A wayward child that has brought nothing but heartache. The death of a loved one. What will you do when disaster lands in your life? Where will you turn? Will you have the kind of faith that sees you though? Well, we turn to a story in Mark 5 that brings us face to face with not just one disaster, but two.
Mark, the Gospel writer, loves sandwiches, and I’m not talking about the baloney and cheese kind. At least six times in his Gospel, Mark sandwiches certain stories. In other words, he begins a story, interrupts it with another story, and then finishes the first one. That’s intentional on his part. The two stories highlight the same truth, and in many ways, what is seen as an interruption to the first story is in fact the key to it all.
Mark 14:1-11
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - The Woman With the JarThere was a short story written by O. Henry in 1905 called The Gift of the Magi. It’s about a young married couple, very poor but very much in love with each other. It was Christmas time and both Jim and Della were each secretly trying to find a way to afford a gift for the other. Della only had one dollar and eighty-seven cents. So, without enough money, she decided to sell what she prized the most—her hair. She had long, beautiful hair, and she knew it was beautiful. She was proud of it. But she loved Jim more, so she went and sold it. She chopped it off and was paid $20. She used the money to buy Jim a gold watch chain. Jim had a prized possession. It was a gold watch that had belonged to both his father and his grandfather. But he never had a chain for it.
When Jim came home that night from work, he was shocked to see that Della had cut her hair. It wasn’t because he thought her to be any less beautiful, but it was because he had sold his gold watch to buy her a set of expensive combs adorned with jewels for her hair. You see, each person had given the other all there was to give. Because when you love someone, when you’re devoted to someone, there really isn’t any other way to express it, is there? You give all that there is to give.
This morning, we turn our attention to a woman whose devotion to Jesus was displayed in such a remarkable way that our Lord said it will never be forgotten. Yet, Mark sandwiches this story in between those who want to kill Jesus. The contrast is explicit and intentional, and it begs a question: How much is Jesus worth to you?
In all of human history, there probably hasn’t been a dinner party quite like this one. This story also appears in John and Matthew. It’s in John’s account that we learn Lazarus is there. And if you’ve ever read John 11, you know that Lazarus was dead, and now he’s alive because of Jesus. As you would expect, there is a celebratory dinner that’s going on as a result. It took place in the home of a former leper, Simon. But of all the unique aspects of this dinner party, what’s most striking is what happens in the midst of it. At some point, a woman came and did something that took everyone off guard. In Mark’s account, we are not told her name. But in John’s account, we find that it is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She takes a costly perfume, anoints Jesus’ feet, and wipes them with her hair.
Luke 19:1-10
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - The Man in the TreeWhat hope is there for those who have everything but still lack something? Blaise Pascal, a seventeenth-century French philosopher and mathematician, said that people have a trace of happiness, but it's only a trace of the original happiness that the first human beings had. We've lost true and full happiness. No person is as happy as they were created to be. Pascal describes this as the "infinite abyss," a longing that only God can satisfy.
It reminds me of a conversation I had with a man last November. I went to Pennsylvania to pick up a car I was buying. The salesman was kind enough to get me from the airport. During our ride to the dealership, we talked about a number of things, one of them being his health. He’s on dialysis, waiting and hoping for a kidney transplant. Come to find out that until he got sick, he owned several dealerships. Then he said this: “I made an incredible amount of money. But none of that matters anymore.” What hope is there for those who have everything but still lack something? That brings us to an encounter Jesus had with a man named Zaccheus, found in Luke 19.
One of the reasons we’ve been looking at various encounters Jesus had in the gospels is simply to see the diversity of people that Jesus touched and changed. Because whoever you are, whatever your background is, whatever baggage you carry, there is redemption for you in Christ Jesus. So, whether it’s a blind man ostracized for his impairment, a paralyzed man who didn’t realize his greatest need was to be forgiven, a religious man who needed just as much grace, or a woman whose life was characterized by broken relationships—everyone can have a new beginning in Christ.
Luke 8:26-39
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - The Man in the TombCharles Baudelaire, the French poet, once famously remarked, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Today it’s not uncommon for people to deny the spiritual realm altogether. Even Christians acknowledge the existence of God but think very little about angels and demons. Yet the Bible speaks often of these rulers, powers, and principalities that are working in this world. Not only are they at work, they’re at war. Peter said that the devil prowls like a lion seeking someone to devour. Paul spoke head-on about our struggle against the spirits. Jesus told us to pray by asking for deliverance from the evil one.
Why, then, would we live as if the evil one didn’t exist? Of course, if Satan cannot pull you down with disbelief, he will just as happily push you overboard with an obsession about him. David Powlison, in his book Power Encounters, speaks of Cynthia and Andrew, a married couple that he counsels. Cynthia once cast demons out of her toaster when it failed to work. Even worse, she and her husband, Andrew, had a remarkably destructive way of arguing with each other. For the first five minutes, they warmed up with normal bickering. But at a certain point, when the fighting turned nasty, they shifted gears and wheeled in the heavy artillery. They would bind, rebuke, and attempt to cast out demons of anger, pride, and self-righteousness from each other. In Cynthia's words, and this is a quote, "I saw the demon looking out of his eyes, glittering and murderous. So I said, 'Demon of anger, I bind your power in Jesus' name. Then I claimed the power of Jesus' blood as my cover from all demonic assault coming through my husband.’” Is this a valid approach to spiritual warfare? That brings us to the story found this morning in Luke 8:26–39. Over the last several weeks we’ve been looking at face-to-face encounters in the gospels. Encounters that teach us about who Jesus is. Encounters Jesus had with the most unlikely people. Encounters that were life-changing. Today we come to one such encounter, where a man is absolutely helpless. It’s not because he was physically blind or unable to walk—as we’ve seen in previous weeks—it’s because he’s inhabited by a demon.
John 4:1-29, 40-45
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - The Woman at the WellOccasionally, you have a conversation that changes your life. You can’t plan these things. It’s not as if you wake up one morning and say, “Today, I’m going to have a conversation, and it’s going to change my life forever.” They seem to come out of the blue when you least expect it.
Today we get to eavesdrop on such a conversation. It happened on a hot afternoon in Samaria. One participant was a woman. The other was a man. We don’t know the woman’s name. The man was Jesus. Interestingly, this is the longest one-on-one conversation with Jesus recorded in the Bible. Their conversation changed her life, and it’s a conversation that has the power to change your life.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been looking closely at conversations, or life-changing encounters, in the Bible. Each week we meet someone who met Jesus face to face, and each one reveals something about the power of the gospel for our lives. Although it’s been more than 2,000 years since Jesus walked on the earth, his words remain incredibly relevant. No matter how many years we are removed from the stories of the Bible, the human heart remains the same. We still struggle with the same problems. We wrestle with what to do with our foolish choices, our misplaced priorities, and our guilt. The encounter we have before us in John 4 demonstrates how the gospel can change all of that.
Everyone needs Jesus. If for a moment we think that only certain people need Jesus, we’re wrong. Everyone needs Jesus. The encounter we just read illustrates that very well, especially when we think of it in light of chapter 3. Last week, Pastor Beaux walked us through the story of Nicodemus. He’s quite the opposite of this woman. He’s given a name; she isn’t. He’s well to do and well thought of by others. She, on the other hand, is a nobody and has no social standing. He appears to “have it together.” She has a string of broken relationships. He talks to Jesus as if he’s interviewing him. When it comes to her, Jesus is the one pushing towards the issues of the heart. But even though these characters are strikingly opposite, what they both have in common is that they need Jesus—regardless of the degree to which they realize it. Everyone needs Jesus. You need Jesus.
Jonn 3:1-15
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - You Must be Born AgainIf I were to ask you what it means to be “born again,” how would you respond? How you answer is important, because being born again is foundational to what it means to be a Christian. However, the term “born-again Christian” seems to mean different things for different people. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a number of people about what it means to be a Christian. While working at another ministry, I would often take part in interviews for those seeking assistance. The applicants would fill out some forms and we would sit with them afterwards to discuss their situation. One of the forms presented questions asking about the person’s religious convictions – what religion did they hold to? We received a myriad of responses. Some might indicate that they were Muslim, Hindu, agnostic, and so on. By far, the most frequent response was “Christian.” But if you asked a follow-up question about what it means to be a Christian, you would get a number of different responses. Some would tell you they were Christian because they went to church. Others might tell you they were Christian because they grew up in a Christian household. Others might point to some level of belief in God. Very rarely would we get the response that they were “born again.” As we pressed harder, it became apparent this was not just semantics. Rather, there was genuine confusion about what it meant to be born again. I suspect this may be representative of many who claim to be Christian.
This is concerning because the New Testament makes clear that one must be born again in order to be a Christian. In fact, the terms “born again” and “Christian” seem to be synonymous. To be Christian is to be born again, and to be born again is to be Christian. Yet, in our culture, the term ‘born-again Christian’ has meant many things to many people, both positive and negative. To sort this out, we must know what Jesus had to say about it. This morning, we will explore what Scripture teaches about who must be born again, why one must be born again, what being born again accomplishes, and how one is born again. My hope is that each one of us can walk away confident that we have been born again.
Mark 2:1-12
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - Finding Forgineness What is your greatest need? Your main problem? The one obstacle in your life that, if it were solved, would cause everything else to fall into place?
One day, Jesus met a man who suffered from paralysis. The man couldn’t walk. He couldn’t stand. His limbs were bent, and his body twisted. He sat and watched as the world walked by. Perhaps he was an invalid since birth. While other children were running and jumping as they so often do, he was struggling to get someone to even notice him. Maybe he had never known what it was like to put one foot in front of the other.
Or maybe he had known. Maybe he had once been healthy. Was there a time when he was known for his ability, not his disability? Maybe he was able to run faster than all the other kids in the neighborhood. Maybe his athleticism was the envy of every young boy around him. Then came the fall. A tumble from a high place—a tree or cliff. Some sort of tragic accident. The pain in his skull was unbearable, but the numbness in his legs and arms was far worse—his limbs still there but unable to move.
Whether he was born paralyzed or became paralyzed, the end result was the same. He was completely dependent on others. Someone had to wash him, feed him, and carry him in and out of bed. He couldn’t work, prepare a meal, or go on a simple walk. The only time he could run was when he was dreaming at night—and even then, he would always awaken to a body that couldn’t roll over.
What would you say his greatest need was? Well, we can imagine that everyone said, “What he needs is a new body.” When people looked at him, they didn’t see him—they saw a body in need of a miracle. That’s certainly what his friends saw. But is that what Jesus saw?
Word was out that Jesus was in town. Most likely he was staying in the house of Simon Peter. As the word got out, the people came. They came from everywhere, and they came with all their problems. The young, the old, the hurting, the outcasts—they had all come to see if this man, Jesus Christ, was everything they had heard.
It’s a dramatic scene that we find in Mark 2:1–12. The house was full. People jammed the doorways. Kids sat in the windows. Adults stopped the day’s work, crowding the outside of this house just to hear what Jesus was going to say.
John 9:1-41
PDF Manuscript: Face to Face - The Man Born BlindUp to that point, I had prided myself on having excellent vision. I never felt as if I had trouble seeing the board at school, reading, or driving. But on that particular day, I came to see things differently. Eleven years ago, Sarah suggested I go with her to the optometrist for a routine eye exam. It had been a long time since I had gone because, quite frankly, I didn’t think I needed to go. So I agreed, but not before saying to my wife, “They’re going to tell me that I have perfect vision.” In fact, when I was making small talk with the optometrist, I distinctly remember telling him that I had impeccable vision. That was before I failed the eye chart.
I walked away that day with a slight prescription for nearsightedness. It’s not that I had horrible vision, but I thought I saw things more clearly than I really did. The result was a pair of glasses I never actually wear. So, if you're sitting in the last seats on the floor, or if you're up in the balcony, you can get away with anything while I’m preaching, because I’m not certain who you are. I tell you this story to illustrate a point: Many people do not see as clearly as they think. Much more serious than the physical wellness of one’s eyes is something called spiritual blindness—a condition so severe that it blinds you to both the reality of sin and the reality of grace.
I want to invite you to find your way to John 9 this morning. A much more poignant story than my own, is that of a man with congenital blindness. A man whose face-to-face encounter with Jesus changed his life forever. And it can change yours as well.
Matthew 7:24-27
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - An Enduring FoundationWhat does it mean to have an enduring foundation? When we lived in South Dakota, we built our first house. Upon moving in, there was an item of particular importance on my honey-do-list: put up a mailbox. So, I called the post office and asked them where exactly I was supposed to put it, how high off the ground, and how far back from the edge of the street. As I was getting things organized, I noticed that a lot of mailboxes in the area were sort of leaning one way or the other. For some reason or another, people in the development had been setting their mailboxes into the ground without doing much to prevent shifting. Well, I wasn’t about to let my mailbox be anything but perfectly straight. So, I went overboard. I dug a deep hole. I mixed a bag of concrete—far more than I needed—and used a level to make sure the mailbox sat straight and plumb. It was not going anywhere.
Not too many days later, I saw the mailman outside. He was trying to get my attention. I thought perhaps he was going to praise me for how nice my mailbox looked, and in turn, I would proudly tell him how secure of a foundation it had. The conversation didn’t go that way. He informed me the mailbox was not supposed to be in front of my house but rather in a cluster of mailboxes across the street. He said, “You need to move it.” To which I said, “You don’t understand; I used a whole bag of concrete….it’s not going anywhere.” Well, thankfully we worked out a deal. He said that I could leave it for the time being, and when they built the next phase of the development, I would have to move. So, I did what any sensible person would do. Before they started the next phase of the development, I sold our house and moved to Michigan. I can just picture the new owners trying to dig out their mailbox!
What about your life? In his closing words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus draws our attention to the foundation of our lives. As we read them, I want to challenge you to ask this question: Am I building my life on a foundation that will endure the test of time, the trials of life, and even the judgment to come?
We've journeyed the past few months through the Sermon on the Mount. Like the crowds, we often find ourselves admiring Christ's words—each phrase characterized by simplicity and power. From the first Beatitude to the last parable, Jesus’ words are aimed at the heart. They crush our pride, reveal our motives, convict us of sin, and completely change our perspective on some of life’s most prevalent issues. We have studied the Sermon on the Mount so that we might live in it each day. Therefore, if we simply walk away from these words without radically applying the message to our lives, then we deceive ourselves.
Matthew 7:13-23
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - The Narrow Gate to LifeLife is full of decisions. We make decisions every day. You decided to get up this morning. What you would put on. What you had for breakfast. Every day you make small decisions and great decisions. A Columbia University researcher, Sheena Iyengar, has found that the average person makes about 70 decisions every day. That's 25,500 decisions a year. Over 70 years, that's 1,788,500 decisions. The 20th-century philosopher Albert Camus said, "Life is a sum of all your choices." You put all of those 1,788,500 decisions together, and that's who you are. Well, this morning I want you to consider the decisions that you’ve made—and more importantly, who you are.
I say this because today we come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount. We’ve reached the climax of Jesus’ greatest discourse. When Jesus gave this talk that changed the world, there were two groups of people listening to him. At the beginning of it, we are told, when he saw the crowds, he went up to the mountainside, and he began to teach. One group was the crowd, and they were very impressed by Jesus. In fact, when he reached the end of the Sermon on the Mount, we are told this about their response: "When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (7:28–29).
The other group, the group that Jesus was most directly speaking to, were the disciples. You see, something had happened in the hearts and minds of this smaller group. They realized that this is what they had been longing for their entire lives. To be cleansed and forgiven of all their sin. To know God, to have a life beyond worry. To not be a slave to sexual desire or unhealthy habits. To live open-handed with their money. To be free from a judgmental spirit. And so much more. They made the decision that this was worth having, even if it meant giving up everything the world could offer. They would pay any price. They would go wherever he wanted them to go. They had made the choice to fully commit themselves to Christ Jesus. Is that who you are?
Matthew 7:7-11
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Ask and ReceiveToday we get back into our series working through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. I’m so thankful that Pastor Ben asked me to join this series. I love how Jesus crafted the Sermon on the Mount. He weaves together Old Testament themes and poetic language and vivid imagery in order to impact our hearts. This Sermon on the Mount is our guidebook for how to live as God’s kingdom people. This is how King Jesus wants us to live in his kingdom. This is how citizens of God’s kingdom are supposed to live.
I know it’s been a couple weeks, so let’s go back and review some of what we’ve seen in the Sermon on the Mount so far.
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:13
Matthew 5:14
Matthew 5:21-22
Matthew 5:27-28
Matthew 5:43-44
Matthew 6:1
Matthew 6:25
Matthew 7:5
That’s how God’s kingdom citizens are supposed to live. That’s how followers of King Jesus are supposed to live.
Let me ask you: How are you doing with all that? How are you doing in all those areas?
I know for me, it’s a struggle. This stuff is difficult. It’s not easy. I want to live like a follower of King Jesus, but it’s hard, it’s a long, slow process of growth for me.
And that’s precisely why Jesus gives us Matthew 7:7-11, our text for today.
Here’s the main idea of this text: Our heavenly Father loves to hear his children pray to him, and he loves to give them good gifts.
My goal today is that we would all leave with a renewed passion to pray. To pray regularly, to pray desperately, to pray fervently, to pray as families, to pray as couples, to pray as small groups, to pray as a church, to pray for little everyday needs, and to pray for massive life-altering concerns.
Ephesians 1:19-23
PDF Manuscript: Easter Sunday - His Power Toward UsWhen a hurricane hit South Florida, Norena's home was one of many that were severely damaged. The elderly woman received an insurance settlement, and the repair work began. However, when the money ran out, so did the contractor, leaving an unfinished home with no electricity. Norena had been living without power ever since.
Here’s what’s astounding. The Hurricane that damaged Norena’s home was Hurricane Andrew—in the year 1992. Norena spent the next 15 years living in the dark, unfinished house. No heat when the winter chill settled over South Florida. No air conditioning when the temperature climbed into the 90's and the humidity clung to 100 percent. Not one hot shower.
Without money to finish the repairs, Norena just got by with a small lamp and a single burner. Her neighbors didn't seem to notice the absence of power. Acting on a tip, the mayor of Miami-Dade got involved. It only took a few hours of work by electrical contractor Kent Crook to return power to the house. As you can imagine, Norena was overwhelmed to have electricity and take a hot bath for the first time in 15 years.[1]
It’s amazing to think that this woman lived for so many years without power, even though it was there. I can’t help but think that so many of us as Christians fail to realize that there is a power at work in us—God’s power. A resurrection power that is infinite and life-changing. We could take a number of different approaches to thinking about the resurrection of Christ this morning. Sometimes we look at the proofs of the resurrection, its historicity and eyewitness accounts. Sometimes we dial in on the way different characters in the biblical story react to the risen Christ. Today I chose a passage that highlights for us a different aspect of the resurrection: Christ’s resurrection power that is present in us.
Now, that may sound idealistic, theoretical, vague, or simply foreign to you. You might be thinking, “If there’s a power at work in my life, I simply don’t feel it.” Well, stick with me for the next 30 minutes. My prayer is that you will see that there is a power at work in the life of every believer—and it has everything to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
[1] KUTV, "Woman Turns Lights on After 15 Years in the Dark," KUTV.com (2-17-07)
Hebrews 9:11-14
PDF Manuscript: Good Friday Service - A Cleansed Conscience One of Shakespeare’s darker plays is about a brave Scottish general, Macbeth, who is consumed with wanting to one day become king of Scotland. His wife, Lady Macbeth, spurs him on to action, and he murders King Duncan in an attempt to take the throne. He is plagued by guilt. His wife assures him that just a little water will clear them of the deed. But it’s not so easy after that. The bloodbath continues as they commit more murders to protect themselves.
Lady Macbeth herself begins to come undone by the weight of their crimes. Neither she nor her husband can sleep, and even when they do, they have nightmares about the bloodshed. There’s one scene where she is walking and talking in her sleep. As she does, she’s rubbing her hands as though washing them, trying to get rid of the blood. She keeps rubbing, trying to erase the blood, but can’t. “Here’s yet a spot,” she cries, desperately rubbing. “Here’s the smell of blood still.” It didn’t matter how much she rubbed her hands; nothing could take away her guilt.
All of us understand what it means to have a guilty conscience. All of us know what it’s like to have a conscience that is troubled by what we have done or what we haven’t done. All of us know what it's like to have a conscience that is unsettled and riddled with negative feelings. Our conscience brings to us an awareness that we have failed to meet a standard of morality.
The human conscience is imprinted on our souls. You feel it when, at the end of the day, you reflect on the harsh words you spoke to your kids or the white lie you told to your employer or the unholy thoughts that consumed you. You feel it when you think about the great chasm that exists between you and God—whose holiness is unmatched. You feel it when you realize that there are not enough good works in your life to ever cause you to measure up. The most basic need of the human heart is what to do with a guilty conscience. What do we do with a guilt-ridden heart, heavy with the weight of our own sin? Because as much as the conscience has the power to make us feel guilty, it doesn’t have the power to make us innocent. Our conscience can bring us to a place where we rightly see our need for cleansing, but it can’t bring us to a place of wholeness or freedom. How can we be at peace with God when our conscience incessantly stabs at us with reminders of our sin and guilt? The answer: the blood of Christ.
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
PDF Manuscript: Palm Sunday - A Suffering ServantWilliam Cowper was a Christian man who lived in the 1700s and struggled through many types of suffering. There was a time where he experienced great depression, and one night he decided that was it. He was going to commit suicide by drowning himself in the Thames River in London. So, he walked out his front door, he called a cab, and he told the driver to take him to the river. However, out of nowhere a storm came through, and a fog came down that was so thick that the driver could not see at all where he was going. Well, Cowper insisted, so the driver kept on driving. After driving around lost for a while, the cabby finally stopped and said, “I’ve got to let you out. I can’t see where I’m going.” So, he let Cowper out and to Cowper’s surprise, he found himself exactly in front of his own doorstep. He looked back, and the cab was gone. God had sent the blackest storm and fog to keep him from killing himself. He saw that even in our blackest moments, God is with us and in control. Cowper went into his house and penned one his most famous hymns—God moves in mysterious ways!
Cowper went from nearly taking his life to writing that we should “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.” What brought about such a change in him?
There’s not one of us here this morning that is immune to suffering. It’s not a matter of “if” it will come but “when.” Whether it be a debilitating illness, the loss of a loved one, or a depression that won’t lift—suffering and sorrow are simply a part of this world. You live long enough, and you’ll come to expect it. How do we get through it? How will we face it? Is it possible to persevere through suffering with peace in our hearts?
Matthew 7:1-6
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Specks and LogsPeople are by nature critical and condemning. The experience of a certain young, single man illustrates this all too well. You see, every time he brought a prospective wife home, his mother would unmercifully pass judgment on her. The man was at his wit’s end when he received some advice from a friend: “Find someone like your mother.” He thought that would be a good solution. So, he looked and looked until he found a woman who was practically a clone of his mother. She looked like his mother, she had the same mannerisms as his mother, she talked like his mother, and she even thought like his mother. It was amazing. So, he took her home. The next time he saw the friend who had given the advice, he was asked how it was going. He replied, “It’s going great. My mother loved her, but my father couldn’t stand her.”
Let’s face it, we live in a world where we are constantly judging one another. People judge what we wear, how we talk, how we drive, what we eat, how we vote, our habits, our hobbies, and so much more. The question before us is this: Should the believer ever judge other people?
Our passage this morning addresses that very topic. Matthew 7:1 is perhaps one of the most frequently quoted verses by people outside of Christianity. I’m sure all of us have at least had one conversation in which someone said, “Doesn’t the Bible say, ‘Judge not, lest you be judged?’” What they really mean by that is: you can’t tell anyone that what they believe is wrong, nor can you comment on someone’s moral choices. But is that what Jesus really meant?
Matthew 6:25-34
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Anxiety's Cure“My anxiety remains an unhealed wound.” Those are the words of Scott Stossel, national editor of the Atlantic. In 2014, he wrote a rather long article, opening up about his life-long battle with anxiety. He describes himself as "a twitchy bundle of phobias, fears, and neuroses.” He tried everything. Three decades of therapy, ranging from cognitive behavioral therapy to hypnosis to audio tapes he saw on a late-night infomercial. Then, of course, there was the array of medications mixed with alcohol. What worked? Nothing. For Stossel, it remains an “unhealed wound” that often holds him back and fills him with shame.
For many of you—for many in our world—anxiety remains an unhealed wound. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in America, affecting over 21 percent of adults. That’s over 42 million people. Studies show that many children are riddled with worry because the supporting structures of their lives have collapsed. Psychologists warn of a mental health crisis among adolescents in the U.S.
What makes you anxious? Is it money? Is it the future? It is whether or not you’ll be successful? Is it finding the right spouse? Is it the thought of being alone? Is it death? Losing a parent or a child? Sometimes it's nothing more than a knot in our stomachs or a sleepless night. At other times it can be a full-blown panic attack. All of us know what it’s like to have a heavy load of concerns on our hearts. But we have tremendous help in Matthew 6. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave his most definitive teaching on the topic of worry and anxiety. While there is seldom and “easy fix,” I believe Jesus tells us in these verses that your anxiety does not have to remain an “unhealed wound.”
Matthew 6:19-24
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - TreasureMrs. Bertha Adams was seventy-one years old when she died alone in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Easter Sunday, 1976. The coroner’s report read, “Cause of Death … malnutrition.” After wasting away to fifty pounds, she could no longer stay alive. When the state authorities made their preliminary investigation of her home, they found her place to be an absolute mess. One inspector declared he had never seen a dwelling in greater disarray. Bertha had begged for food at her neighbors’ doors and had gotten what clothes she had from the Salvation Army. From all appearances, she was a forgotten widow, living in extreme poverty.
But that wasn’t the case. Amid the disarray of her house were found two keys to safe deposit boxes at two different local banks. The first box contained over 700 AT&T stock certificates plus hundreds of other valuable notes, bonds, and financial securities. The cash alone amounted to $200,000. The second box had no certificates, just cash—$600,000. Bertha Adams was a millionaire and then some. Yet she died of starvation.
Think of her life as a parable of the dangers of materialism, which promises so much but cannot give us what we need most. We are constantly told that life at its best consists of having more and more possessions. As Christians, we know that’s false. But the pull is so strong that many of us try a balancing act between what the Bible teaches and what the world says. Between the spiritual riches God offers us in Christ and worldly treasures that cannot feed our soul. Unfortunately, some of us lose our balance, and the results are devastating.
Money is one of those topics we don’t really like to talk about. It can make us feel uncomfortable. It can make us feel guilty, depending on how much we have or how we spend it. It’s one of those hot-button issues in marriages leading to strife. Yet, as much as we’d rather not talk about money, we tend to think about it all the time. We worry about making ends meet, planning for retirement, funding college, paying unexpected medical bills, and rising gas prices.
Jesus talked about money all the time. He preached on it more than he did prayer and faith combined. It’s no surprise that’s the next section we come to in Jesus’ most famous discourse or what we call the sermon on the mount. And here’s why Jesus’ words about money are so important: Your relationship with money is a barometer for your soul. How you think about money, how you spend money, how you invest money, is a window into the condition of your heart.
Matthew 6:16-18
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Creating an Appetite for GodToday, I want to talk to you about what I believe is a “forgotten” spiritual discipline—one that seems odd, unnecessary, and impractical. I want to talk about biblical fasting. Now, I would venture to guess that very few of you woke up this morning thinking, “If only I could hear a riveting sermon on fasting!” Yet fasting is a biblical tradition that is practiced all throughout Scripture and throughout Christian history by people like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Finney, and many others.
Richard Foster once said, “In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the Golden Arches and an assortment of Pizza Temples, fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times.” But I would argue that the reason fasting seems “out of place” in our lives is that we don’t understand it. Even this week, I was thinking back to the fact that I never heard a sermon on fasting when growing up in church. For the last eight years, I’ve listened to myself talk every Sunday morning….so I guess I carry as much blame as anyone!
Did you know that fasting is such an important activity that it is talked about 77 different times in the Bible? Take a guess at how many times baptism is mentioned in the Bible—75. I’m by no means equating the two. But we really shouldn’t ignore the fact that fasting is given great importance in the pages of Holy Scripture. Consider some of the instances of fasting in the Bible:
· Abraham's servant when he was seeking a bride for Isaac
· Moses on several occasions
· Hannah as she prayed for a child
· David on several occasions
· Elijah after his victory over Jezebel
· Ezra when he was mourning Israel's faithlessness
· Nehemiah when he was preparing the trip back to Israel
· Esther when God's people were threatened with extermination
· Daniel on numerous occasions
· The people of Nineveh, including the cattle, involuntarily no doubt
· Jesus when he began his public ministry
· Paul at the point of his conversion
· The Christians at Antioch when they sent off Paul and Barnabas on their mission endeavor
· Paul and others when they appointed elders in all the churches
It’s no wonder, then, that Jesus gave instructions about fasting in his most famous discourse—the Sermon on the Mount. I’d like you to make your way to Matthew 6:16–18. It’s in these three verses, along with the rest of Scripture, that we see fasting as a means of creating an appetite for God. My hope this morning is that you would leave here not asking, “Why should I fast?” but rather, “Why don’t I fast?”
1 Corinthians 11:23-34
PDF Manuscript: The Lord’s SupperHow many of you this morning would like to have an encounter with the living God? How many of you—feeling weak, tired, and discouraged—would like to experience God’s grace in a tangible way this morning? If you knew you could enjoy his presence within this next hour, how many of you would be eager to do so?
A Meal in the Presence of God
Well, that’s precisely where the Lord’s Supper comes in. When we understand the significance of this meal, we realize that it’s an encounter with the living God. It’s a means of grace in our lives and an experience of God Almighty. In fact, this has always been God’s intention. What is the very first thing God said to humanity after he created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden of Eden? “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden” (Genesis 2:16). God’s first words, “See, look at the menu. Satisfy your hunger with the food I’ve given you.” What is so striking about the first chapters in Genesis is that God walked with humanity “in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8). It would seem from the very beginning that God was present with humanity, and that humanity was made to enjoy a meal in the presence of God.
Of course, we know how the story goes, don’t we? Humanity chose to reject God. And how did we do this? By eating (Genesis 3:1-7)! God said that “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). He offered a vast menu with only one prohibition. But choosing to not take God at his word, Adam and Eve took what was forbidden. They ate, they fell into shame, hid from God, and ceased to experience his presence in the same way as before. That separation is humanity’s greatest problem. We were made for a meal in the presence of God, but now God is often absent at our meals.
God, in his grace, did not leave us without hope. You see, from that point forward, the Bible traces the story of God’s redemption. He called Abraham and promised him, over a meal, I might add, in Genesis 18:1-15 that his descendants would be used to create a new humanity. Those descendants became slaves in Egypt. God sent Moses to lead them to freedom. A series of plagues followed, the climax of which was God declaring that he would kill every first-born son in Egypt. God’s people, being sinners themselves, would only escape God’s judgment of death by the shedding of blood. Each family was to sacrifice a lamb, spreading its blood across the doors of their homes. Wherever God saw the blood, he passed over that house (Exodus 12:12-13). The blood protected the family inside.
Meanwhile, inside their homes, the people ate a meal. They ate the sacrificed lamb with unleavened bread as a sign of their readiness to experience freedom (Exodus 12:8-11). For God’s people, this Passover meal was an annual reminder of who they were and what God had done. God’s redemption and what it meant to be his people were pictured in a meal.
PDF Manuscript: BaptismThere was a little boy who wanted to turn his cat into a Baptist by full immersion in water. So, he prepared the bathtub and got it ready for that cat. Well, in holding the cat and filling the bathtub, he inadvertently sprinkled some water on the cat, and you know what cats do with just a little bit of water? They run. The cat darted out of the bathroom and ran down the hall. The little boy could be heard saying, "Fine, be a Methodist, see if I care!"
We can laugh about those sorts of differences, but five hundred years ago, people didn’t see the matter as humorous. In 1526 two men, Conrad Grebel and George Blaurock, baptized each other in a house in Zurich, Switzerland. In doing so, they immediately became outlaws. It wasn't long before the order went out from the city council that anyone that received what they considered to be re-baptism or Anabaptism would be executed by drowning. Those two men, along with many others, faced persecution for coming to the conclusion that baptism was not to be given to infants but rather to those who have heard the gospel and have made a credible profession of faith.
Different churches and denominations today certainly disagree over the issues surrounding baptism. Instead of noting differences this morning, I want us to take an honest look at what the Bible says about the nature of baptism for three reasons: The most obvious reason is that we have ten of our youth who will be baptized right after I’m done speaking. It only makes sense that we ready ourselves to celebrate with them. Second, I want us to understand that baptism is not optional for believers, rather, it is clearly commanded by the Lord. In fact, nine times in the book of Acts we see that the early church practiced baptism right after conversion. Third, while baptism itself does not save you, the significance and meaning of baptism have a profound effect on your life as a believer.
Most Sundays, we spend our time looking at a single passage of Scripture. Today we’re going to look at numerous passages regarding baptism, and here’s the big idea I want you to walk away with this morning: Baptism demonstrates our initial identification with Christ and his church.
In Acts 2:38, Peter preaches a sermon that cuts his hearers to the heart. When they ask him what their response should be, he says, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” And it’s that phrase, “In the name of Christ,” that we see again in Acts 8, Acts 10, and Acts 19. It’s an important phrase because it tells us that in being baptized, a person is publicly identifying with Christ. But not just with Christ, also with his church—an entire community of men and women who have identified with the name and life of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:38-48
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Love Your EnemiesI read an interesting article the other day entitled “8 Legendary Duels.” As the title suggests, it described 8 different fights that have never been forgotten. The most interesting duel, in my opinion, took place in 1792 in London. It was between two women, Mrs. Elphinstone and Lady Almeria Braddock. The altercation has been called the “Petticoat Duel.” As the story goes, the two women met together for tea. At some point in the conversation, Mrs. Elphinstone said to Lady Almeria, “You have been a very beautiful woman.” Past tense. To which Lady Braddock replied, “Have been? What do you mean by ‘have been’?” You can only imagine how things escalated from that point, as Mrs. Elphinstone insisted that Lady Braddock looked twice her age. Well, finally Lady Braddock challenged her to a duel. The two met in Hyde Park with both swords and pistols. While no one was fatally injured that day, Lady Braddock inflicted a wound on her opponent’s arm, and they both quit.
Besides being a cautionary tale about insulting another woman’s looks, I think it’s a window into the human heart. Our natural tendency is to work very hard at securing justice for ourselves. If someone insults us, wrongs us, or offends us, we want justice. We want some sort of justification or apology. We want some measure of compensation or retribution. Why? Well, I believe the root issue is our attitude towards self. The natural inclination is to make self a god—to worship self. Sometimes, when we’re driving to a church event, and the car in front of me is driving under the speed limit, I jokingly say to Sarah, “Don’t they know who I am? I’m the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church!”
Jesus Christ, through the words of the Sermon on the Mount, challenges us to lay down our personal honor and live for the honor of someone higher. We’re going to read together some of Jesus’ most well-known words, which are just as hard to apply as they are to understand.
Matthew 5:31-37
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - A Look That Could KillYou could call it a fatal obsession. It was too great a temptation, and it led to her death. I’m not talking about a scene from a movie or even an actual person. Her name was T1, and she was considered one of the most dangerous tigers India has dealt with in recent years. She had developed a taste for human flesh. Within a two-year period, she was reported to have killed at least thirteen people from the neighborhoods surrounding the jungle she roamed. There was mounting pressure from the public to do something to put an end to the killing spree. So, the country’s Supreme Court approved a shoot-to-kill order if rangers were not able to sedate and capture her.
They sent out hundreds of foot soldiers combing the forests, bulldozers clearing it, jeeps, over a hundred camera traps, thermal imagery drones—but nothing worked. The tigress had a way of outsmarting everyone who tried to capture her. Until they tempted her with something she couldn’t resist. A bottle of Calvin Klein’s Obsession cologne. Apparently, this cologne contains an ingredient called civetone. Civetone is a compound found in the scent glands of the civet, a small nocturnal cat-like animal found mostly in Asia. Feline experts say that tigers go crazy over it. So, they sprayed the cologne in strategic places. The tigress came out of hiding. A ranger hit her with a tranquilizing dart. The fierce cat charged him, and, in self-dense, he fatally shot her with a single bullet. The Obsession cologne helped draw her out, and a fatal obsession it was.
These things can happen to us as well. The Bible gives a remarkably candid picture of how obsessions, inordinate desires, and lust can lead to death. While there are many places in the Scriptures that attest to this, we come to one in particular as we study the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. A passage that teaches us how the wrong kind of look is a look that leads to death. Listen to what Jesus says.
In these five verses, Jesus has strong words regarding lust. Lust is perhaps one of the most difficult of sins to talk about. There's an often-told story about an aged professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was counseling a young man who was struggling in the area of lust. This professor was highly regarded for his godly character and pastoral wisdom. At one point, the seminarian asked, "At what age will lust no longer be a problem?" The professor replied, "I can't say exactly, but it must be sometime after 82!" Which, of course, was the age of the professor. Simply to say that no one is immune to sexual temptation by virtue of their age, gender, or profession.
Matthew 5:21-26
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - An Angry HeartThe other day, I was reading a book to my son called “Caps for Sale.” It’s a classic children’s story, first published in 1940, and it’s about a peddler who sells hats for a living. As he walks around trying to sell, he wears his entire stock of caps on his head. When the peddler takes a nap under a tree, a group of monkeys steal all the caps but his own and put them on. The peddler tries to get the monkeys to return the caps, but instead they imitate him. causing him to become increasingly angry. Finally, he gets so angry that he throws his own cap on the ground in disgust and walks away, in response to which, the monkeys take all the caps and do the same. The peddler collects the caps off the ground and goes on his way.
I’m not confident what the moral of the story is. Don’t sell hats for a living unless you want to be harassed by wild animals, maybe? But there is something about that story that I think represents a common view—anger is morally neutral. Here’s what I mean. Many people will tell you that anger is neither good nor bad. It just is. And what is important is how you express it. Now, it certainly is true that what we do with our anger is important. But we come to a portion of Scripture this morning that teaches us that anger, regardless of actions, is far more dangerous than we realize.
Jesus connects anger to murder in a way that should send all of us into deep reflection. Anger is perhaps the most dangerous of all human emotions. Because anger can harness such enormous energy, it has the potential for incredible destruction. Think about a time when you were on the receiving end of anger. Perhaps someone said the words, “I hate you. This is all your fault. I can’t stand you. I wish I never met you.” Maybe it wasn’t even words of anger. Someone is angry with you, and instead of verbalizing it, they give you the silent treatment. They ignore you. They cut you off. Perhaps you grew up with an angry parent and you carry with you the scars caused by their constant frustration towards you. You see, we can’t begin to really understand how Jesus connects anger and murder until we realize this: anger pierces the heart and lacerates the soul.
Matthew 5:17-20
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - A Surpassing RighteousnessYou’ve probably heard this question before: If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he said to you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” What would you say to him? I believe many people would answer that question by saying, “I think I’ve lived a pretty good life. I’ve tried to do good enough. Hopefully the good I’ve done will outweigh whatever bad I’ve done.”
Maybe some of you feel the same way, but here’s the problem: Just how good is good enough? How good do you need to be to earn your place into heaven? What exactly is the cutoff point? It’s not just a question that we ask today. It was also a question that people in Jesus’ day were very interested in. How good is good enough? Today, we’re going to look at Jesus’ answer, and what he says might surprise you. Make your way to Matthew 5:17 and follow along with me.
The Sermon on the Mount began with a penetrating description of the inner character of those who belong to God’s kingdom. People who realize that they come to God empty handed. People who weep and mourn over their sin. People marked by humility. From there, in verses 13-16, the Lord gives two metaphors—salt and light—to describe the kind of influence that God’s people should have on the world. Now we come to a passage where Jesus lays before us a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven that seems unattainable. How does one have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the pharisees?
Originally, I was going to give a brief overview of this passage and spend the majority of this morning talking about the next section on anger. But I came to realize that this statement in verse 20 is the hinge of the Sermon on the Mount. In other words, unless we have a firm grasp on what Jesus is talking about in these verses, we run the risk of misunderstanding what he then says about anger, lust, and loving your enemy. In fact, not only does this passage help us understand the righteousness we need, it also tells us a great deal about the Bible itself. I believe that if we can understand what Jesus is saying, it will not only change how we approach the Bible but perhaps change us in a profound way. So, here’s what he teaches us.
Matthew 5:13-16
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Salt and LightHas there ever been a time in your life where you have overlooked the value of something? Underestimated what it was worth? About a year ago, a small, white, porcelain bowl decorated with blue designs made its way into a yard sale in New Haven, Connecticut. Whoever owned it assigned a relatively small value to it—$35.
Well, an antique enthusiast came across the bowl while browsing the yard sale. With a suspicion that it could be something of great worth, they bought the piece and had it appraised by Sotheby’s. It turns out that this $35 bowl is actually a rare piece from the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s. There are only six other such bowls known to exist, most of them in museums. The person who bought it from the yard sale for $35 recently auctioned it off for $722,000!
Why do I tell you this story? Well, I’m certainly not trying to encourage you to scavenge the yard sales this summer in hopes of hitting the jackpot. Rather, your life has immense value and purpose—perhaps far more than you would assign to it. Regardless of the things you’ve done, the problems you might have at home, your shortcomings, your inconsistencies—God has created you to do something good for his glory. That’s exactly what I want to show you this morning in Matthew 5:13–16.
We come to a passage in the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus is describing to his disciples how their lives are meant to change the world. Now remember, Jesus had a small group of uneducated followers who were not the most successful, celebrated, or sought out. They were lower class, ordinary people of the day, and they knew it. You can imagine how absurd they must have thought it was when Jesus tells them, “I have great faith in you. You are going to do something that will affect all humankind.”
What Jesus says in these verses is directly tied to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1–12. This is a single discourse given by Jesus to his disciples. In those beatitudes we looked at last week, Jesus describes the type of people who belong to the kingdom of God—both the character and the blessings. So, he talked about the poor in spirit, those who mourn over their sin, the meek, and those who long for righteousness. The effect is that kingdom people are merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers. This was written to Jesus’ disciples then, and it is true of all his disciples now. I like how Sinclair Ferguson puts it:
“The kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus Christ. But its power and influence are visible only in the sphere in which the world least expects to see them—in the poor in spirit, among those who mourn over sin, and in the persecuted community of the followers of Jesus.”
Matthew 5:1-12
PDF Manuscript: Kingdom Living - Promised BlessingsIt was our eleventh wedding anniversary yesterday. On Friday, I was at the store and picked up a single rose for Sarah. It looked great. When I got home, she was upstairs, so I began to get it out of the packaging to put in a vase before she came down. However, what looked like such a great rose was actually broken in two places. As soon as I took off the clear plastic around the sides, it toppled over in my hands. So, I did what any husband would. I got out some clear packing tape, placed it around the breaks on the stem, and put it in the vase. Carefully, I arranged the rest of the greenery to hide the tape. Sarah had no idea!
To me, that’s a picture of what our Christianity is like at times. At first glance, it looks great. We know what to say and how to act. Others might not see a problem. But there’s something that’s missing. There is a superficiality to our faith—areas of our lives where we aren’t real with Christ and with others. Areas that can only begin to change when the deep-seated issues of the heart are addressed.
Well, to help us with this, I’d like to introduce you this morning to the greatest sermon ever preached. Of course, I’m not talking about the sermon that I’m about to preach. I’m doubtful it will go down in the history books. Instead, I’m talking about the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5 through 7. These three chapters are probably a condensed report of what I imagine was a rather long teaching session by Jesus. We’re going to spend the next 12 weeks or so studying what John Stott famously said was “the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly the least obeyed.”
Kingdom Living
So, why study the Sermon on the mount? Because nowhere else in Scripture is there such a rich description of what it means to be a Christian. But make no mistake, the Sermon on the Mount isn’t about how you become a Christian, per se. Jesus, as we just read, was speaking with his disciples. The crowd was present and went away amazed at the end, having heard what Jesus had to say, but he was not addressing them.
Revelation 3:14-22
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches - Open the DoorWe come to the last of the seven letters written to the church in Revelation. Of all seven, this last one gives me more cause for fear and trembling than any other. The church at Laodicea vividly captures what has happened to so many churches in our time. John Stott, commenting on Laodicea, writes, “It describes vividly the respectable, sentimental, nominal, skin-deep religiosity which is so widespread among us today. Our Christianity is flabby and anemic. We appear to have taken a lukewarm bath of religion.”
Now, you will remember that each church addressed by Christ has been characterized primarily by one major issue. In Ephesus, they had begun to forsake their intimacy with Christ. In Smyrna they were suffering. The church at Pergamum was guilty of compromising. The church at Thyatira was the church that was tolerating evil. Sardis was the dead church that needed revival. Philadelphia was the weak church that desperately needed the promises of God. But perhaps most famous of the seven churches, the church at Laodicea was the lukewarm church. There’s no heresy, no persecution, no immorality, per se. None of those describe the great problem of the church in Laodicea. No, here the church is marked by indifference, ineffectiveness, and self-reliance. While I believe all seven have relevance for us today, this church has the greatest application to us.
The church at Laodicea was a sick church. The description of this church is so negative—there’s not a single positive that Jesus mentions. He says they need eye salve, a medicinal cure. Ironically, Laodicea was a prominent city in terms of medicine. They had a medical training center and were known for producing medicine for eye ailments. But here is this church that, spiritually speaking, is extremely sick, and the Great Physician gives them not only a diagnosis but a cure.
Now, I’m going to ask you to do something as we work our way through this passage. Examine yourself. Ask, “Is this true of me?” Let this text probe the depths of your heart, your motives, your ambitions. Here’s what I can promise: You and I will be ready to come to the Lord’s Table by the time I’m done. You’ll be ready to partake of the bread and cup. You will not leave dissatisfied and discouraged. Instead, you will leave renewed, having feasted on Christ.
Let’s ask three questions this morning: What are the symptoms? What is the underlying cause? Is
Revelation 3:7-13
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches - I WillJosh’s baptism and Micah's baptism is a much better illustration than I could ever come up with. Its first and foremost a picture of new life in Christ. A visible demonstration of how how the saving work of Christ unites us with him forever. But it also represents an act of obedience. A conscious decision to say “I will take the next step that God is calling me to.”
Many of you took a step forward during our Life Action Summit. Some time has passed since then, but I believe it’s important that we don’t allow it to become another event in the past. Because it was during those ten days that some of you said, “I will.” “I will choose to follow Christ. I will choose to be honest about my sin and forsake it. I will choose to become the spiritual leader of my household. I will choose to become the husband or wife God has called me to be. I will choose to let go of bitterness.”
But now that the Summit has been over for a month, perhaps you’ve already experienced some setbacks.
-
Disappointment - from unfulfilled expectations
-
Discouragement - becoming worried, disheartened
-
Despair - thinking, “What’s the use trying?”
The question then is this: How do we keep our “I will” commitments from being lost? How do we keep the momentum going? How do keep taking one small step after another? How do we endure? I believe our passage this morning in Revelation 3 helps us with this very problem. Pay close attention to what Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia.
Titus 2:11-14
PDF Manuscript: Advent Week 4 - Grace and GloryDo we really understand what we’re celebrating at Christmas time? The musical we just enjoyed brings us face to face with that question, doesn’t it? It’s easy to become so distracted by all the activities, get-togethers, and shopping that the significance of Christmas passes us by. Well, I’d like to read to you a passage that I believe captures the essence of what we’re celebrating.
I want you to notice the verb in verse 11: “has appeared.” Again in verse 13: “the appearing.” Paul is dealing with two appearances, two comings, or two advents. It is a Greek word, epiphaneia, from which we get the word “epiphany.” Something that was previously hidden or concealed has suddenly appeared. In the New Testament, this word is used four times to refer to the first coming of Christ and six times to refer to the second coming of Christ.
When we celebrate Christmas and the Advent season, we set our focus on the first coming of Christ. That unique moment in human history when God took on flesh—the baby born in Bethlehem. But I want you to know this morning that the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ are absolutely inseparable. The first is an appearing of grace and the second an appearing of glory. How we live in between those two comings matters.
Matthew 1:18-25
PDF Manuscript: Matthew’s Messiah - The Forgotten Man of ChristmasIf you could meet any person in the first Christmas story, other than Jesus, who would you choose? I think it would be hard to narrow it down to just one. I’ve got a few questions I’d like to ask the wise men, for example. Who were they? Where did they come from? Were they astrologers? How did they know about the star?
What about the innkeeper? Did he ever find out that he just so happened to turn away the son of God? And then, of course, there’s Herod. Wouldn’t you like to ask him some questions about why he was so insecure that he worried about a baby stealing the spotlight?
How many of you would choose Joseph? Today I want us to consider him—the forgotten man of Christmas. In the traditional nativity scene that all of us are familiar with, Joseph stands next to the manger where the baby Jesus is laid. Yet strangely, he seems to hang in the background of the Christmas story. He never speaks a single word in the gospels and then he quietly disappears from the pages of the Bible. There’s a sense in which Joseph is shrouded in mystery. But when we come to Matthew’s Gospel, we see him as a man of extraordinary character and simple obedience. His obedience is so simple that we can easily miss it in the details of the text. Yet, it shows us something remarkable about what it means to live for God.
Matthew 1:1-17
PDF Manuscript: Matthew’s Messianh - Who is This ChildWe are now in the Advent Season. Advent is the period of four weeks leading up to Christmas in which the church looks forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. For the next few weeks, we will look at Matthew’s Gospel in anticipation of Jesus’ birth. This week we will begin in Chapter 1. Matthew chooses to begin his Gospel with a genealogy. This immediately creates a problem for the modern reader. While the original readers would have understood the value of the genealogies, we find them to be boring. They are like the opening credits to a movie. We know there is a great story waiting, but we have to suffer through a list of names that don’t mean much to us. So, we just kind of skip over them so we can get to the action. But if we were to ignore the genealogy in Matthew 1, we would miss some very important things; things that the original readers would have understood. For starters, you have to know who the characters are in a story if you are to make sense of events. So, before we get to the virgin birth, visits from angels, and the journeys of wise men, the genealogy has already begun to answer an important question: who is this Child? So, our aim this morning is to explore the answer to the question: who is Jesus?
The question of Jesus’ identity is a theme that we see throughout the book of Matthew.
· Matthew 8:27 recounts the story of Jesus calming the storm at sea. Afterwards, his disciples looked at him in amazement and asked, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
· Matthew 21:10 tells of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In the midst of the crowds and the excitement, the text tells us the whole city was stirred up, asking, “Who is this?”
· At Caesarea Philippi he asks his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” After their reply he asked, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:13-15).
If the identity of Christ is one of the Gospel’s greatest concerns, then Matthew wastes no time exploring the answer. Today‘s text will focus on three titles bestowed upon Jesus from his genealogy. Jesus is the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the Son of David, and Jesus is the Messiah.
Revelation 3:1-6
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches - Wake UpAppearances can be deceiving, can’t they? Henry Erskine was a well-known Scottish minister in the late 1600s. After his first wife died, he married a young woman named Margaret. Henry was very much in love, and he lavished his several pieces of valuable jewelry upon her. In particular, an expensive ring.
Months later, however, Margaret fell ill. And after seeking a number of treatments, she was pronounced dead. Heartbroken, Henry decided to have her buried wearing the fine ring he had gifted her. Now, the man who had built her coffin, the village carpenter, witnessed the heartbreaking scene of Henry closing the lid. But he witnessed more than that—he caught a glimpse of the ring she was wearing. And he thought, “She probably doesn’t need that anymore.”
So in the middle of the night, the carpenter went back to the cemetery. The coffin had yet to be buried, so he pried the lid open and attempted to remove the ring from Margaret’s finger. It was stuck, so he took out a knife and began to amputate her finger. But the shock of the sudden amputation woke Margaret, who had appeared dead but was still very much alive—in a deep coma. She screamed with pain. The carpenter screamed also and ran away leaving Margaret to find her way home. When the maid answered her knock at the door, she fainted at the sight of Margaret. Then she explained to her husband all that had happened.
Well, I suppose the village carpenter learned two lessons that day. Number one: don’t try to steal jewelry from a corpse. Number two: looks can be deceiving. Margaret looked dead but was in fact alive. Today, we read a letter from Jesus to a church that has the opposite problem. They look alive but are in fact dead—spiritually dead.
I can hardly imagine words that would sting more: “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Jesus looks at this church and gives them a spiritual assessment: dead. Imagine Christ sends you a letter and says this, “You have an outward manifestation of life. People around you think there’s a vitality to you. You go through the motions, you sing the songs, you attend church activities on a somewhat regular basis—but you’re dead.”
Jesus once gave a very similar assessment to the religious leaders of his day. Matthew 23:27–28, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy.” Spiritually dead.
Revelation 2:18-19
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches - Tolerating EvilThere’s a story about a Chinese man who was suffering from throbbing headaches. He tried every treatment imaginable to ease the pain. Nothing helped. An x-ray finally revealed the culprit. That’s the great thing about an x-ray or some other noninvasive diagnostic: it can tell us what’s going on inside of us—whether there’s something there and whether or not it’s life threatening. Anyway, to everyone’s surprise, what they found was that lodged in his skull was a rusty blade. You see, four years prior he had been attacked by a robber and suffered lacerations on the right side of his jaw. He didn't know the blade had broken off inside his head. So for quite some time he suffered with stabbing pain, and it was only after they removed the blade that he finally experienced relief.[1]
Well, you and I know we can’t live with foreign objects buried in our bodies. But what about our souls? What would an inner look into your soul reveal? I suppose all sorts of things—regret, guilt, temptation. Or perhaps something you think no one else will see. A habitual sin that you keep secret? Our passage is not Psalm 139 this morning, but I find the first two verses helpful for setting the tone of our study. David writes these words: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.”
The Lord has a comprehensive knowledge of each of us. Everything. He knows when we sit and when we rise. He knows our actions, what we are doing all the time. Not only that, he knows our minds and our hearts behind those actions. Everything. At the end of the Psalm, David, rather than resisting God, invites him to do what he is already doing. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
We’re looking at Revelation 2:18-29 this morning. It’s Christ’s letter to the Church in Thyatira. What emerges from the text is the seriousness of the sin that lies beneath—secret sin that is in the heart of individuals in the church. Something that may not obvious or easy to see. We are confronted in this text with a Lord and Savior, the same one David was talking about in Psalm 139 who searched him and knew him so many centuries ago. He says the same thing to the Church at Thyatira: “I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” He has eyes of blazing fire and feet of burnished bronze—he is looking at us, searching us, and he knows us. Maybe the best way to frame our time is by posing this question: What do you imagine is the look in Jesus’ eyes when he thinks of you?
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/18/china-knife-blade-skull-surgery
Revelation 2:12-17
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches - Spiritual CompromiseAt some point, we all find ourselves heading in the wrong direction, don’t we? When I was working on my master’s degree, I had one particular class that met off the main campus at a church in downtown Boston. Park Street Church, to be exact, which, if you’ve ever been to Boston, is literally right next to Boston commons. So, once a week I drove into the city, spent 30 minutes trying to find a parking spot, and went to this class that met in the evenings. Well, one evening I was particularly tired after class got out. I got in my car, and not paying close attention, I turned down the wrong street. As soon as I turned down the street, a whole bunch of people on the sidewalk began to wave their hands at me with a clear sense of urgency. I began to realize that I was driving the wrong way down a one-way street. By the grace of God, no other cars were there, and I quickly made a “U-turn” and went the other way.
I wonder how many of us this morning are so preoccupied that we are unaware of the direction of our lives. Maybe it’s the stresses of life that have consumed you. Maybe it’s an unhealthy focus on the temporal things of life—stuff, entertainment, hobbies. God is sending us message after message, only for us to not realize we’re going the wrong way down a one-way street.
In all seven of the letters to the churches in Revelation, Jesus ends by saying, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” I take that to mean that when we read these letters, we aren’t only to think about the original audience. You and I are to put ourselves in the place of applying it to our lives as if Jesus is speaking directly to us.
Romans 10:12-17
PDF Manuscript: 2021 Missions Conference: How Will They HearToday, over 155,000 people will die without Christ.[1] To put that into perspective, the population of Grand Rapids is over 198,000 people. Imagine that 78% of the people of Grand Rapids took their last breath today, not having experienced the forgiveness of their sins. That begs a question: What is the church’s responsibility to those who have never heard the gospel? Or to put it differently, why should I care about missions? This morning I want us to consider the answer to that question from Romans 10:12–17.
The passage is straightforward enough, isn’t it? With clarity and logic, Paul explains that people must hear and believe the gospel to be saved. But don’t miss that his explanation is filled with urgency. How can people call on the name of the Lord unless they believe? How can they believe if they’ve never heard the gospel? How can they hear unless someone tells them? And how can some tell them about the gospel unless people are sent?
In our time together, I want to do less explanation and more illustration, particularly from the life of a man named Adoniram Judson. Born in 1788 in Massachusetts, he would die in 1850 and be buried at sea. He is rightly called “the father of the American Baptist missionary movement” and was the first American missionary to Burma—working there for nearly 40 years. He translated the whole Bible into Burmese, spent 21 months in a brutal prison, and buried 2 wives and more than 5 children. To say that he suffered for the gospel would be an understatement. But why did he care so much? Why should we care so much?
[1] https://www.imb.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ASR-MAILER_Highlights-and-Realities_web.pdf
Revelation 2:8-11
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches: Faithful to Death
As the story goes, he had a dream in which he saw his pillow under his head burning with fire, and he knew after that he would be burned alive. Whether or not he really had that dream, we don’t know. But what we do know for a fact is that Polycarp was burned alive on February 23, A.D. 155.
Church tradition says he was a disciple of the Apostle John. In his old age, Roman authorities sought to arrest him. At this point, when his pursuers tracked him down outside the city, he made no effort to flee. In fact, he invited them in for a meal. He showed them hospitality, fed them, gave them a drink, and asked if he might have some time to pray. They granted it to him. Actually, they really liked him. He had a great reputation in the city. So, the entire time they drove him to the amphitheater, the Roman guards were pleading with him to recant. They wanted to save his life. But he wouldn’t.
He was pulled up in front of the proconsul in the amphitheater who said, “Swear by Caesar…revile Christ and I'll set you free.” In perhaps one of the greatest recorded statements ever made by a martyr, Polycarp very famously said: “For 86 years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?”
The proconsul said, “I have wild beasts.” Polycarp said, “Bring them. You get to choose how I die; I'm going to die today.” The proconsul replied, “If you disdain the beasts, I will burn you with fire.” Polycarp said, “You threaten a fire that burns for a little while then it is extinguished, but God threatens a fire that burns forever. But what are you waiting for?”
The trial was over. The proconsul ordered him to be burned. He refused to be fastened to the stake but instead prayed, “Oh Lord Almighty God, the Father of your beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have come to know you, I thank you for counting me worthy this day and hour of sharing in the cup of Christ among the number of your martyrs.” The fire was lit but a gust of wind blew the flame away from him, greatly increasing his torture, whereupon a sympathetic guard ran him through with a sword and ended his life. He was faithful unto death.
I know stories of martyrs can seem a bit remote to us. My guess is that none of us will ever find ourselves in a situation quite like that. But the story of Polycarp reminds us of a principle that we encounter this morning in Revelation 2:8–11, and it’s this: suffering is part of the Christian life. However, it seems that suffering is something we often try to avoid. We think for some reason that in our modern, westernized world suffering doesn’t have a place in the narrative of life. “Everything should be lovely now that I’m a Christian.” “God doesn’t want us to suffer or experience pain.” But I want you to listen to what Jesus says in Revelation 2:8–11 to the Church at Smyrna. And when we read these words to a suffering church, I think Jesus stands in front of all Christians for all time, essentially asking, “What am I worth to you? What are you willing to suffer to live a godly life and make the gospel known?
The place that Polycarp was executed for his faith was in the city of Smyrna. In fact, it’s reasonable to think that at some point in his life he read these very words that were penned by the Apostle John.
PDF Manuscript: What the Spirit Says to the Churches: Forsaken Love
What happens when love between two people grows cold? What is it that happens to people between the wedding day—so joyous, exciting, sincere—and the day the divorce papers are signed? How is it that someone can profess passionate love to another, only to later walk away from that love?
It’s an all-too-common story, isn’t it? A love that was marked by passion and commitment, now cold and forgotten. You don’t have to look very far to see examples of those who have forsaken, who’ve left, the love they once had for another. Some of you have experienced this. The love you had for someone at first has all but been forgotten.
I wonder for how many of us this describes not a relationship with a spouse or significant other but with God? There was a time when you found yourself consumed with love for God. Excited. Passionate. Committed. But with the passage of time, all of those affections have waned. The things you once did for God out of sheer delight have now become a duty.
I’d invite you to begin making your way to Revelation 2:1–7, where Christ addresses those whose love has grown cold. As I’ve been preparing all week, I’ve asked myself a question. And I would ask you, too, to probe your own heart.
“Have I forsaken my love for Christ, or is it growing?”
Do I love Christ more now than I did a year ago? Is my love for Christ flourishing or stagnant? If my love for Christ is shrinking, what can I do for it to be renewed? Listen to what Christ said to a church that had forsaken its love.
We are beginning a new series this morning on Revelation 2 and 3, looking closely at seven letters, written to seven real, historical churches. While they’re letters written to specific churches, they speak to us as individuals and as a congregation of God’s people. Some have believed that each of the seven churches is symbolic of the church throughout various periods or dispensations. I don’t think you can infer that from text, but I do believe that even though these letters weren’t written to us, they were written for us.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: The Study of 1 John - Living with Confidence
God wants you to live with confidence. If you read 1 John thinking that this small letter was written to make you doubt, read it again. The goal of John’s correspondence with these believers was to help them navigate the doubts and problems of their own day. They were 2nd or 3rd generation believers—50 years removed from Jesus of Nazareth. A lot had happened in those years. Jerusalem had fallen to the Romans, Jews had been scattered among the nations, and the Christian church was misunderstood and persecuted. Most of the apostles had been martyred for their faith, and there were only a few remaining eyewitnesses to the life and death of Jesus.
Now, false teachers had infiltrated the church and were calling into question the central truths of their faith. Jesus didn't really have a body, they said, he just appeared to. Faith isn't what matters, they said, it's a higher knowledge—secret truths and mystical experiences. No one can be sure of their standing before God, they said, divine reality is far too mysterious for that. Many believers were beginning to doubt their faith. And they undoubtedly were wondering if it was really true. Were they really Christians? Could they be confident in anything?
I’d bet there isn’t a believer in the room this morning that hasn’t doubted—that hasn’t questioned his or her faith at some point. Maybe you made a commitment to Christ a number of years ago, but it seems to have little meaning to you now. Maybe you've been struggling with sin in your life, and you're wondering how you could be a real Christian. Perhaps you’ve heard or read something that has caused you to question your faith on an intellectual level. Or maybe, you are lacking in passion and joy, and you wonder what's wrong with your faith. Perhaps the question has crossed your mind, “Am I really saved?”
While it’s natural for us to struggle with doubt at times, God intends for believers to have assurance. So, we’ve spent the summer looking at the book of 1 John to help us answer the question, “How do I know I am a Christian?” John has taken us through a series of tests—the doctrinal test, the moral test, and the social test. But as the letter draws to a close, John pastorally and practically shows how believers can live with confidence. Listen to what he says.
I want to make three observations about how you and I can walk in confidence as Christians. Or think of it this way: if you’ve missed every sermon on 1 John this summer, but want to know how to apply the theological truths of this book—here are three ways.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study of 1 John - Perfect Love
Earlier in our marriage, I used to have a desk in our house where I did most of my studying. On top of that desk was a large hutch with a cabinet. And because I liked keeping the top of the desk free from clutter, I had a tendency to take every scrap of paper and mail that I needed to save and stuff it in the cabinet. For those of you who are Type A personalities, it was enough to make you break out in hives. And every once in a while, Sarah would open the cabinet and remind me that I needed to sort through it and bring some order to my chaos. I assured her that I knew exactly what was in there!
In a sense, teaching through 1 John can feel like sorting through that old cabinet. Trying to discern the order of John’s thought is challenging. Trying to disentangle the verses and distill a logical outline is even daunting at times. He doesn’t write like Paul does, for example, in the book of Romans where you have an orderly argument that builds with each successive chapter. Instead, it’s more like a spiral staircase that winds around the same themes, over and over again. Each time, however, there’s a different perspective or deeper dimension to what he’s already talked about.
So, as we get close to finishing our series in 1 John, we revisit a theme that John has already brought up several times—love. Before you assume that the next thirty minutes will be redundant, I want you to imagine that we’re opening the cabinet if you will, and pulling out truths that maybe you’ve forgotten. Or maybe you didn’t even know were there.
The Apostle John was probably in his nineties when he wrote this letter. That perhaps explains why he writes in somewhat of an affectionate, grandfatherly tone. Having experienced Christ in the flesh, John is writing to a younger generation of Christians, and he wants them to know with certainty that they indeed possess eternal life. To that end, John has been giving us a series of tests about what we believe, how we behave, and what we love.
Some of those tests begin to overlap in the section I just read, and here’s how I would trace the thread of John’s thought in these verses. Verse 12 reminds us of two truths: God abides in us, and God’s love is perfected in us. These two truths are meant to produce in us a confidence not only for today, but for the day of judgment.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: The Study of 1 John - The Spirit of Truth
All around us, there is a spiritual world. An unseen world. And an invisible war. But are we aware of it? C. S. Lewis’s classic book, The Screwtape Letters, is about a series of letters from a demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood. Wormwood is a “junior” demon, and his uncle is coaching him through the task of trying to tempt a man into egregious sins—and ultimately to damnation. The man is simply called “the patient.” In one letter Screwtape writes this:
“I do not think you’ll have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that devils are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he cannot believe in that, he therefore cannot believe in you.”
Why is it that so often we lump Satan and his demons into the same category as we do leprechauns, elves, and other fictitious beings? In the Middle Ages, the church very much believed in the reality of Satan, and they were concerned with finding ways to resist his influence. After all, in his teachings Jesus warned his followers about the threats posed by the evil one. Why else would he tell his disciples to pray, “deliver us from evil, and lead us not into temptation”?
So, in the Middle Ages, the church said, “What we know about Satan is that he fell because of pride. Perhaps, then, the greatest point of vulnerability is his pride. The Bible says, ‘resist Satan and he will flee from you.’ Therefore, if we attack his pride and humiliate him, we’ll be able to resist him.” So, they made these caricatures with horns, a pitchfork, and a red suit. They would take these drawings and hang them up on the wall as if to mock Satan and cause him to flee. But do you know what actually happened? The next generation saw these caricatures and found it odd that their parents would affirm the reality of someone who looked like a goofball in a red suit.
Yet, the testimony of Scripture affirms that Satan is a creature with extraordinary ability to tempt (1 Thess 3:5), accuse (Rev 12:10), slander (1 Pet 5:8), deceive (2 Cor 4:4), divide (2 Cor 2:10–11), provoke to sin (1 John 2:16), and so much more. He’s crafty, he’s subtle, and he does not appear as a fool with horns and a pitchfork—but as an angel of light.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study of 1 John - Love One Another
One commentator has said that 1 John is like a spiral staircase. He keeps returning to the same three topics: love, obedience, and truth. But even though these themes are recurring throughout the letter, it’s not mere repetition. Each time we return to these topics, we look at them from a slightly different point of view; we take a deeper dive into them.
Well, this morning the writer takes us a bit deeper into the topic of love. Why? Why come back to this topic? Well, apparently there was a problem among the believers to whom John is writing. There were doctrinal issues—disagreements over the person and work of Christ. But there were also relational issues. Why else would John say in 2:9–10, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.”
It's hard to imagine brothers and sisters in Christ "hating" each other, but it must have been pretty serious for John to use such strong language. And to think, the Christian church wasn’t that old, and they were already having problems. But more than 2,000 years later, the church is still struggling with unity and lack of love. Even this past year and a half, churches all over the nation have experienced, to some degree or another, perhaps more relational issues than in the past. The issues of Covid, race, and politics have caused churches to experience significant divisions and relational breakdowns. In some ways, the issues of our time have revealed to us that our love for one another is as deep as we thought.
How deep, would you say, is your love for others? Would you say that there’s a significant level of intimacy, care, and prayer for them? Are you able to have hard conversations? Do you love others only when it's convenient? Do you truly make sacrifices for others? Is your love the kind of love the world would stand up and take note of?
You get the sense that John isn't talking about polite smiles, friendly handshakes, and token displays of unity. He's writing about a love that is distinctive—different from any other love anywhere else in the world. He's calling for deep love. You see, according to John, love is a vital part of our assurance. In 1 John 3:10-24, we will learn what love is not (3:10b-15), what love is (3:16-18), and what love does for believers (3:19-24).
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study of 1 John - Children of God
Lee Strobel tells a story that happened shortly after the Korean War. A Korean woman had an affair with an American soldier and became pregnant. The soldier went back to the United States, never to see her again. She gave birth to a little girl. Her daughter looked a bit different than the other Korean children. Her hair was curly and lighter than most, and because of her mixed race she was subjected to ridicule by many in the community. But after seven years, her mother could no longer handle the rejection—the way people looked at her child, the things they said. So she did the unthinkable and abandoned her little girl. And for two years the child lived in the streets before entering an orphanage.
One day it was told to everyone in the orphanage that a couple were coming from America to adopt a little boy. All of the children in the orphanage were excited that at least one little boy was going to now have a family. This little girl spent her day helping all the little boys get cleaned up in preparation for this family.
Well, the next day the couple arrived. Everyone was waiting to see which little boy would be adopted. The husband, as she described it, was a man with huge hands. He was picking up the children, he had tears in his eyes, and it appeared that if he could have taken every child home, he would have. But listen to what this little girl said happened next:
"He saw me out of the corner of his eye. Now let me tell you. I was nine years old, but I didn't even weigh 30 pounds. I was a scrawny thing. I had worms in my body. I had lice in my hair. I had boils all over me. I was full of scars. I was not a pretty sight. But the man came over to me, and he began rattling away something in English, and I looked up at him. Then he took this huge hand and laid it on my face. What was he saying? He was saying, 'I want this child. This is the child for me.’"
We pick up at the end of 1 John 2 this morning, and in verse 28 the apostle addresses his readers in this way: “little children.” In that simple address he reminds them of the fact that God has welcomed them into his family. That to those who have been born again, he’s looked beneath their sin and said, “I want this child. This is the child for me.”
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study of 1 John - Truth and Lies
In 2003, two brothers from Spain bought what they thought was an authentic Francisco de Goya painting. One of the most important Spanish artists from the late 18th and early 19th century. However, along the way they discovered that it was in fact a counterfeit. They had been deceived. Long story short, the courts allowed them to keep the painting. Well, what do you do with a counterfeit painting? Hang it in the living room? Maybe wrap it up for a staff Christmas party? Well these two brothers decided to turn around and sell it—as if it was authentic. They had a middleman arrange for them to exchange the painting for a series of payments, totaling 4 million euros. However, something went completely wrong. After receiving the first payment of 1.5 million euros, it was discovered that the buyer gave them counterfeit money. In fact, all the bills were photo copies!
Chances are, you’ve never experienced deception in that way. But all of us have experienced the tragedy of not using discernment—not being able to distinguish true from lie. We’ve all been deceived in one way or another. Today, I want to talk with you about a different kind of deception. One that has eternal ramifications.
1 John can be a bit unsettling. It is, after all, a very challenging letter. John is very black and white in how describes true Christianity. And because of that, some of you may listen to the message of 1 John and feel uneasy about your walk with Christ. You might feel uncertain as to whether or not you have been born again. But we need to see 1 John not only as a warning, but a means for us to walk in the light, as he is in the light. You see, as much as 1 John is meant to challenge the counterfeit, it is to give certainty to the redeemed. And so you approach 1 John, we want to ask the question, “Is he talking about me”? Yet at the same time, we want to approach 1 John asking the question, “How can I walk in the light, so as to have a greater assurance?”
Now, it’s been a few weeks since we’ve been in this letter. Do you remember the three tests John is giving throughout this letter? Review: Moral, social, theological. In particular, what John wants is for his audience to discern between what is true and what is false. He wants them to discern between light and dark. Why? This community John was writing to was on the brink of being deceived. And he appeals to them with a sense of urgency we can’t ignore. Because for us, the possibility of being deceived is just as real. We don’t live in a world without absolutes. Rather, we live in a world where truth matters and it doesn’t matter how sincere your belief is, you can be sincerely wrong.
PDF Manuscript: Fan the Flame
So good to be with you again this morning. I invite you to take your Bible and turn with me to Philippians, chapter 3. Today, I want to explore the temperature of your relationship with Christ. In John 10:10 Jesus makes this statement. He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Think about that for a second. Jesus came to give us not simply life, but abundant life. I wonder, does that describe your walk with Christ? Could you say, as it relates to your spiritual walk, “I am on fire for Christ! I’m in the Word. I’m sharing my faith. I’m living in obedience to the Lord. I’m really experiencing to the fullest, the abundant life that Jesus promised”? Is that your experience, or is it something less than that?
Chances are, if you are honest, your walk with Christ is probably not all it should be or could be, right? For many of us, it seems that the longer we are saved the more our passion for Christ tends to cool off. For others, it may be that life just seems to get so busy that your relationship with Christ has just kind of taken a back seat. You know it isn’t supposed to be that way, but it just is. Maybe you are here today, and you would have to say that you are just spiritually burnt out and exhausted. You’ve given so much over a period of time that you have just lost your enthusiasm and joy. If it makes you feel any better, my guess is that all of us fight that reality from time to time. Because of pressures, because of laziness, because of involvement, sometimes we just aren’t as passionate, just not as “on fire” for the Lord as we should be or as we once were.
As we focus our attention on Philippians 3 today, I want us to see that for the apostle Paul, his relationship with Christ was not something that he took casually or lightly. Rather, he pursued Christ with his whole heart, and he encourages his readers to do the same. From his words in verses 1-11, I believe we learn how to reignite our passion for Christ. If we are going to be passionate, enthusiastic followers of Christ, we need to work at doing five things.
Peace in our Time
I invite you to take your Bible this morning and turn to Ephesians 2. As we focus our attention on verses 1 1-22 today, I want us to think about, "Peace in Our Time." When I was born into this world back in June of 1961 , June 1 8, to be exact, the world was far from a peaceful place. Six years earlier, in 1955, the Vietnam War began and it raged on for 20 years. For the first 14 years of my life, war was almost commonplace. It took center stage on the evening news every night and images of combat, and the death it brought, were everywhere. The Vietnam War was such a part of my life that I can remember as a young child, asking my mother if there had always been a war. Of course, as the war continued, there also came the protests and the calls for peace. If you lived through those days, you will recall the marches and the rallies that were held, begging for troops to be withdrawn and the war to be stopped. College-aged students burned their draft cards and often their calls for peace turned into violent confrontations with police. From my perspective, it seemed that war and conflict were constants and peace and harmony were nothing more than a dream that would never be realized.
Sadly, conflict, division, and strife are not confined to times of war, nor are they unique to the world or even to our time and culture. Even the church and those who claim the name of Christ experience, far too often, times of disunity. As Paul writes this letter to the Ephesians, they were apparently experiencing problems between Jewish and Gentiles believers. To remedy the situation, Paul not only calls upon them to remember the nature or content of their conflict, but he also reminds them that their conflict has been solved through Jesus Christ. From what he writes here in verses 1 1-22 we learn that peace, no matter how great the division, how long it has existed, or what has caused it, really is available in our time.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study of 1 John - Certain Foundations
In 2016 the New York Times ran an article entitled, “With Connecticut Foundations Crumbling, ‘Your Home Is Now Worthless.’” Between 1983 and 2000, as many was 34,000 homes built in northeastern Connecticut were built on concrete containing the mineral pyrrhotite. Pyrrhotite is an iron sulfide that when exposed to oxygen and water, a series of chemical reactions convert into expansive compounds. The result is that they take up more space—leading to cracks and holes that only grow over time. The worst part of it? The only safe and effective solution to fix these faulty foundations is to lift the house of the existing foundation and completely replace all the concrete. A procedure that can cost anywhere between $100,000 to $250,000—which in many cases is more than the total value of the home.
Well today I want us to think about a different type of foundation. Not the kind on which we build a physical house, but the kind of foundation that holds the certainty of our salvation. The last couple weeks we’ve been talking about the nature of assurance from the epistle 1 John. The central question is this: How do I know I am a Christian? How do I know that I have eternal life?
That’s a question of eternal significance. It’s a question that God wants us to know the answer to. In fact, did you know the Bible commands us to pursue assurance? The Apostle Peter said, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you, will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). Of course we all stumble in many ways (James 3:2). But the pursuit of assurance is vital because in so doing we will be able to see the evidence of true and saving faith.
So it’s important for us to examine the foundation that our faith rests on. What would you say to the person who asks, “How do you know that you are a Christian?” Let me give you some examples of some common responses that prove to be a faulty foundation. And the primary reason being that these are foundations for assurance that are not in the Bible.
• “I was born a Christian.”
• “I’m a good person.”
• “I’m very involved in my church.”
• “I experience guilt when I sin.”
• “I made a past decision.”
So what should be the foundation of our assurance? What should I look to as the present, ongoing evidence that I am a Christian? Well, all of 1 John helps us to answer this. And to be sure, he does not point to experience—something sensational or mystical. No, we saw last week something more simple and concrete: One of the ways we know is that we keep his commandments. We keep his commands because as Christians we have a great desire to be like him. That’s just one of the proofs that we know him.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance: A Study in 1 John - Walking in the Light
Last week with Pastor Ben, we began looking at the first letter of John. Today we will push farther into Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Before we do, let’s take a moment to review what we’ve covered so far. John, as a loving shepherd, writes this epistle to a flock that seems to be relatively new to the faith. As you read this letter, you cannot help but feel the urgency with which the author writes. John, who is well advanced in age, does his best to address the significant issues faced by the younger generation. Keep in mind that many of these converts had not seen Jesus Christ. They hadn’t heard his teaching or seen the miracles or witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection. They were dependent upon faith and the testimony of the apostles. Then among them appeared those who John labels “false prophets.” These prophets brought with them strange and dangerous doctrines that contradicted the gospel. These teachings were very deceptive and subtle. Eventually, many of them broke off from the church and denied Jesus as the Son of God. But even after some left the church, their influence remained. Imagine the confusion and conflict this would have caused and the damage to a sound understanding of the gospel. So, John lovingly addresses these young Christians that they might know what to do with these difficulties and contradictions.
Chapter 1 begins with a reminder that John’s message to them did not come from a second-hand source. This wasn’t mere speculation or a semblance of truth mixed with worldly philosophies. Instead, what he is telling them is based on his personal witness. Unlike the false prophets, his testimony was based on his own interaction with Jesus Christ. He was able to see and hear and physically touch the Word of Life. What a powerful testimony for the next generation to hear from somebody who was actually there. As these young Christians received the word of life, they were brought into fellowship with the apostles. But they were also brought into fellowship with the Father and the Son through the life-giving message of the gospel. John’s great desire for them is that they would share in the joy rooted in fellowship with God. I trust that each of us in this room desires that same joy that is rooted in fellowship with God.
Sadly, the early church experienced those within the congregation that professed to be Christians yet denied the faith and walked away. By doing so, they demonstrated that they were never really part of the body. But that begs the question, if these teachers, who professed to have fellowship with God, walked away from the faith, then how do I know that I have authentic fellowship with God? What assurance is there that I am truly in Christ? Thankfully, John’s epistle provides for us characteristics that should be evident in the life of every believer. We can look at these characteristics as tests that help us examine our spiritual condition. The test that today’s scripture presents is one of our conduct. The question is this, “Do you walk in the light the way that he is in the light?” This is a hard question, but one that we must not be afraid to ask. My hope is that each of us would examine our walk and rest assured of our fellowship with God.
PDF Manuscript: Assurance - A Study of 1 John - Word of Life
How do I know if I’m really a Christian? That’s a question of eternal significance, but it’s also a question that I fear many Christians struggle to answer. I’ll never forget sitting in a small group some years ago where I asked the question, “How can you be sure that you’re a Christian?” I was expecting a number of answers about the evidence of salvation. What I wasn’t expecting was the answer that came from a twenty-something-year-old girl in our church. She said, “You can’t be certain. You just have to hope that you are, live the best Christian life you can, and you’ll find out when you die.”
At first, I wasn’t sure what to say. Not because I didn’t know where the missteps were in her thinking or what the relevant passages were to steer her. I just remember feeling a burden, thinking that there are probably scores of self-professing Christians who live without assurance. Or perhaps worse, that live with a sense of false assurance. How many of you this morning would struggle to answer the question, “How do you know if you’re really a Christian?”
Someone once described the book of 1 John as a “loving and anxious sermon.” Written by the same John who penned the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation, here is an apostle who loved God’s people and was anxious for them to experience the fullness of life in Christ. I want all of you to know where you stand before God. I’m anxious for you concerning whether or not you have assurance.
The Scriptures talk about our enemy—the deceiver. One of the things he loves to do is to try and keep truly saved believers unsure about their salvation. He knows that, if he’s successful, they’ll never experience the freedom, joy, and confidence that God wants them to have. But he also loves to keep those on their way to hell tricked into thinking that they are on their way to heaven. He wants to give them a false assurance so that they are numb to the pleas of Jesus to repent. It’s because of this warfare that I want us to spend the next eight weeks answering the question, “How do I know if I’m really a Christian?”
PDF Manuscript: Praying With Power - Praying Big
There was a wealthy merchant on a long journey who was carrying with him his most valuable jewels. Along the way, another traveler befriended him, making it look like a chance meeting, but he really planned to steal the rich man’s jewels.
At the end of each day, when they arrived at a local inn, they shared a room together, and each night the men would wash up before going to bed. Now, the merchant was somewhat suspicious of his newfound friend’s real motives, so he devised a scheme to safeguard his valuables. Before they turned in for the night, he offered the thief the privilege of washing up first.
As soon as the thief left the room, the rich man would take his bag full of precious stones and hide them under the thief’s pillow. Sure enough, when it was the rich man’s turn to wash up, the thief would plunge into the rich man’s belongings, feverishly looking everywhere for the jewels, but to no avail. So each night the thief would lay his sleepless head on his pillow, angry at his failure to locate the treasure.
Finally, as it came time to part and they were saying their good-byes, the rich man informed the thief that he’d been aware of his motives all along. Then came the horrible revelation. The rich man said, “You poured all your energies into looking everywhere - except under your own pillow. The wealth was nearer to you than you realized.”
Perhaps there is wealth that is nearer to you than you realize. It’s in your reach, but, day by day, you fail to lay hold of it. Of course, I’m not talking about monetary wealth. The Apostle Paul would describe this wealth as “the riches of God’s glory.” For almost three chapters in the book of Ephesians, Paul expounds on the weightiest of truths that characterize those who have been bought with the blood of Christ. He even goes as far as saying that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in the lives of believers. But while these things are true of all believers at all times, so often our everyday experience feels less than that. What you and I need in order to have a deeper experience of these biblical realities is prayer. Before you tune me out - I’m not going to spend the next 35 minutes simply telling you that you need to pray more. No, instead I want to suggest to you that we need to pray a bit differently. We need to pray for power
PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - Praying without Doubting
An old story tells of two widows who lived together in a cottage at the foot of a mountain. Soaking rains had loosened the soil on the mountain’s slope, and a huge boulder threatened to roll onto their house. The two women remembered that Jesus taught if they had faith like a mustard seed, they could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). All the two wanted was for a piece of the mountain to not move. So they mustered up their faith and began to pray for God to anchor the stone, but it rolled down the mountain and destroyed their little cottage. Then one of the women admitted to the other: “I knew that the boulder was too big for our little prayer to work.”
My guess is that you haven’t had to deal with the looming threat of boulder crashing on your house. But chances are you’ve had moments where you prayed for something but doubted that God would answer—which makes it all the more difficult to read what Jesus says in Mark 11:23-24.
Jesus invites us to summon the faith to talk to a mountain and command it to be cast into the sea. But in all my life, I’ve never seen a mountain cast into the sea, nor have I ever talked to a mountain. Chances are, you haven’t either. But it’s right there in black and white in Mark 11:23. What are we to do with this text? Is this a passage we’re supposed to take seriously?
Could I be honest with you for a moment? I almost changed my text for this Sunday. I thought, “Why did I choose this passage when I outlined this series? Here I am, trying to encourage us all to pray more powerfully, and this one really has me stuck.” But I’m glad I didn’t. Because the Lord, through his written Word, taught me some things this week as I prepared for this morning, and I genuinely hope they will help you have a prayer life that is more robust, confident, and consistent.
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3.
Learn more
PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - Praying with Confidence
All of us are in need. Every one of us faces situations that stretch our wisdom to the limit. We all encounter struggles and hurdles in life that we simply don’t know how to navigate. The list of problems we face on earth is endless—broken relationships, loneliness, depression, anxiety, regret, and temptation, to name a few.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter so much what your biggest problem is today. It doesn’t matter whether it is similar to that of the person sitting next to you or if yours is altogether different. There is not a single day in which you do not need help. What matters is that you have great need and that you turn to the only person and place where genuine, life-changing help can be found. That’s what this morning’s passage of Scripture instructs us to do.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about prayer. Not just how to pray, but why we should pray. It does not do us any good to simply heap on the guilt about the work that needs to be done in our prayer lives. Instead, I want us, each of these six weeks, to walk away knowing that we have been invited to commune with God. That we would long to spend time in prayer. That we would have confidence in prayer. Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the priest of his believing people. Why should that give us confidence? Because it tells us something about Jesus that can’t be said about anyone else.
This letter was written to second-generation Jewish believers who were being tempted. They were not just tempted to give in to sin, they were tempted to give up on Christianity and go back to the way things were, to the ceremonial law of the temple sacrifices. The writer sets out to motivate them and encourage them to press on and face these temptations and trials. He does this by painting a picture of the priestly nature of Christ.
PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - Praying in Weakness
Do your prayers ever feel empty? Do you sometimes find that you are unable to put into words exactly what you need from God? Perhaps it’s a sudden crisis. A moment of desperation. A point in time when you are at the end of yourself. You have no more answers. No more cleverness. All you have is need, and the only words you can muster are, “Oh Lord, help.” I was reminded of this the other day when my son was trying to zip up his hoodie all by himself. He was growing increasingly frustrated that his little fingers were not able to get it started. I offered to do it for him, but he was adamant that he was going to do it. Finally, he looked at me and could only say one word, “Help.”
Well, the world is full of problems that are much larger than stubborn zippers. A season of depression has lasted longer than usual, and you’re beginning to wonder if God even cares. A family member is rushed to the hospital, and you don’t know if they’re going to live. A wayward child has renounced the faith they once professed. In our lowest moments, we may find ourselves without a word—having no idea how to pray. We have no words but, “Oh Lord, help.” And in those moments what we want more than answers to our problems is someone. Someone to walk through the valley of the show of death with us. This is where Romans 8:26-27
The last few weeks we’ve been studying what it means to pray with power. I am convinced that our growth as believers will be in direct proportion to the depth of our prayer lives. I need to pray more. You need to pray more. So we’re looking together at some key texts over these six weeks to shape our understanding of prayer. But more than that, to shape our desire to pray. Our passage this morning does just that. Romans 8:26-27 opens up a neglected insight into the ministry of the Holy Spirit—an insight that is sure to change the way we think about prayer.
PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - Does Prayer Change Things
Is it true? Does prayer change things? Isaiah 46:10 declares that God knows the end from the beginning. If the purposes of God are eternal, if nothing ever surprises him, and if his plans are fixed, then why pray? In the grand scheme of things, do our prayers really matter? I think when most of us wonder whether or not prayer changes things, we’re really asking if God will intervene in a specific situation. We wonder if he’ll hear us when we pray and if it’s worth the effort.
Those are some weighty questions that I believe are raised by this morning’s passage found in Exodus 32. As we look at it, I don’t want us to lose sight of this: God loves to hear us pray. In both the Old and the New Testaments, he frequently and consistently urges his people to pray. For example, in 2 Chronicles 7:14 God says, “…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Or think about the Parable of the Persistent Widow that Jesus told in Matthew 18 to show what kind of Father we have and to encourage us to always be praying and never give up. We constantly read of Jesus using words like “come,” “seek,” “ask,” and “knock.” So we should never think that God is somehow begrudgingly listening to our prayers or that he is sitting with arms folded as we pray saying, “Now what.” No! He’s a heavenly Father that welcomes every word we speak, much in the same way you who are parents love it when your kids call upon you. When my son asks me to play toy cars on the floor with him, or to read Dr. Seuss, or to help him put together a puzzle—it’s pure joy just to be asked.
Now think about how much more God must love it when we pray for each other. He loves to hear us pray for things that we really need, so just imagine how much he loves it when we make intercession for others. Exodus 32 is a story about Moses praying on behalf of God’s people. It says quite a bit about the power and privilege of intercessory prayer. But it’s also a story that raises some perplexing questions like, “Does God change his mind? Does prayer change our circumstances? What about the prayers that go unanswered?”
PDF Manuscript: Praying with Power - How to Pray
“We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power.” Those are the words of a man named R.A. Torrey, and I think the first part of that statement is one that probably resonates with many of us. We’re too busy to pray. We suffer under the tyranny of the urgent. We stack our plates full of activities that leave little room for unhurried prayer. The sheer amount of responsibilities we have make it seem impossible for us to linger in prayer on any given day.
If we are too busy to pray, though, then most certainly we will be too busy to have power. If we believe that secret, fervent, believing prayer is at the heart of our pursuit of Christ—then where will we be if we neglect it? We’re going to be spending the next 6 weeks looking at prayer. One of the reasons for this is that in my own life, I recognize that I could pray more. I just can’t help but think that some of you in here could stand to pray a little bit more too. That all of us could benefit from a more robust understanding of what it means to pray with power.
Could it be that Jesus thinks about prayer differently than we do? Think about the amount of time Jesus ministered publicly on earth. Three short years. Think back in your own life to the last three years you've been alive and the things you've accomplished. Now measure it against the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. In three short years, he changed the history of the world. That's less time than it takes to graduate from high school or from college. That's less time than it takes to really get to know a community, or to accomplish any one of a number of minor things in this world. Three years passes very quickly, doesn't it?
Yet, what amazes me is that Jesus Christ, with so great a work to accomplish within a relatively short amount of time, spent so much time in prayer. Normally, when we think of Christ’s time on earth, we think of his miracles, his teachings, his personal encounters—occasionally interrupted by times of prayer. In a sense, we could see his life the other way around—as a series of private prayer times, interspersed with the ordinary events of his daily ministry. Jesus Christ was a great man of prayer.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Life and Death
In the Louvre Museum in Paris hangs a famous oil painting by the name “Ship of Fools.” In this marvelous work it shows ten people aboard a small vessel and two overboard swimming around it. It is a ship without a captain, and everyone onboard and overboard is too busy drinking, feasting, and singing to know where the waves are pushing them. The painting shows that the person who is a fool is the person who enjoys all the sensual pleasures of this world without knowing where it all leads. Atop the mast hangs a bunch of dangling carrots, and a man is climbing up to reach them. Above those carrots we find a small but significant detail—a human skull. It’s the thirteenth head in the painting. The painting depicts twelve fools who, unbeknownst to them, are on a journey to death.
Proverbs, in its own way, takes us on board the ship of fools. It shows us what happens when we do what is right in our own eyes and ignore the voice of wisdom, or more specifically, the wisdom of God. Over and over again the author teaches us that there is a way of living that leads to death. In fact, the words “death” and “die” appear roughly twenty times in the book of Proverbs. But what is death?
Is death merely the absence of a pulse? Well, certainly it’s a physical event. Every one of us will experience a day when we take our final breath. There is no way for us to know when that day will come, but we know it is a certain event for us all. Each and every day brings with it reminders of the fact that death is coming for us. We age, we sin, we are witnesses to the brokenness of the world.
Yet the book of Proverbs reminds us that death is more than a physical event. Wisdom tells us that death is an entire realm, a domain of human existence. In the Old Testament, the realm of death is often called Sheol. It’s an unusual word that can often confuse us—it confuses scholars because the Bible doesn’t give too many specifics.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs-Everyday Wisdom - Money
Imagine you’re a financial advisor. Today you have two appointments, first with an elderly woman and then a middle-aged man. The woman’s husband died six years ago. She says, “I have no more money. The cupboards are bare. These two dollars are all I have to live on, yet I feel as if God wants me to put them in the offering. What do you think?”
What would you tell her? Likely you’d say, “That’s very generous of you, but God gave you common sense. He knows your heart—that you want to give—but he intends you to take care of yourself. I’m sure God would have you keep those two dollars and buy food for tomorrow. You can’t expect him to just send down food from heaven, can you? God wants us to be sensible.”
Your next appointment is with a successful, hardworking, middle-aged farmer whose crop production has been excellent. He tells you, “I’m planning to tear down my old barns and build bigger ones so I can store up more crops and goods and have plenty saved up for the future. Then I can take it easy, retire early, and do some traveling and golfing. What do you think?”
How would you answer? Perhaps like this: “Sounds good to me! You’ve worked hard. God has blessed you with good crops. It’s your business, your crops, your money. If you can save up enough to take care of yourself the rest of your life, by all means go for it. I hope one day I’ll be in a position to do the same!”
Wouldn’t such advice to this poor widow and rich man appear reasonable? What would God have to say about it? Well, we don’t have to wonder, because the Bible tells us exactly what he says. In Mark 12 there’s a story about a poor widow. She put two tiny copper coins in the temple offering box. This was the only money she had. Jesus pointed her out to his disciples to teach them a lesson. Did he question the woman’s wisdom? Did he say she should have been more sensible than to surrender her only remaining resources? No. He commended her. “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44).
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Friendship
“Loneliness won’t end when the pandemic ends.” That was the title of a recent news article that I came across the other day. For a number of years before the pandemic, experts have been arguing that we have an epidemic of loneliness. In 2018, nearly half of Americans reported sometimes or always feeling alone. Recent findings suggest that during the pandemic, over one in three Americans face “serious loneliness.” Over in Britain, loneliness is so pervasive that three years ago the Prime Minister appointed a cabinet officer called the “minister of loneliness.”
We live in a culture that possesses the ability to communicate like no other in the history of the world. While our communication might be characterized as easy, efficient, and rapid, we could add another adjective to that list—superficial. Think about it. You may have an abundance of friends on Facebook, but what does that really mean?
Robert Putnam, a professor of Public Policy at Harvard, wrote a groundbreaking piece entitled, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. In his work he “warns that our stock of social capital – the very fabric of our connections with each other, has plummeted, impoverishing our lives and communities.” He argues that loneliness, isolation, and rugged individualism has exponentially increased in the United States over the last 25 years or so. He demonstrates through statistical research how there is a growing disconnect between people at deeper and more meaningful levels. Interestingly, he notes that the amount of people who bowl is up 10%, while the number of people who are involved in bowling leagues is down 40%, hence the title Bowling Alone.
The Bible tells us, however, that this shouldn’t be the case. Our being created in the image of God tells us that we were made for an incredible capacity for relationships. Our biggest problem is that sin distorts those relationships. As we inch closer to the end of our series in the book of Proverbs, we've come to a prevalent theme in the book: friendship.
Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Emotion
One day while flying his plane, a pilot noticed a small cloud up ahead. He decided to just fly through it. Once he got in the midst of the cloud, he realized that it wasn’t as small as he had thought. He decided to pull up and out of it, but after pulling up for a long period of time, he decided to try to point the nose of the plane down to get out of this cloud.
Still not able to come out of the cloud, the pilot began to get a little disoriented. With all of his maneuvering, he began to wonder if he was right side up or upside down. Sweat began pouring down his face because he didn’t know his position in the cloud. He started to feel upside down. He checked his instruments, and they said the plane was still right side up. He felt like the plane had tipped over, but the instruments said the opposite.
The pilot was faced with a decision. Would he act on his feelings? Or would he act based on what the instruments were telling him? It took all of his energy to believe that those instruments were telling him the truth, but he ultimately let them guide him.
Finally, he came out of the cloud not far from the ground, because the cloud was low. When he came out, he was right side up. Had he followed his feelings, he would have died. Instead, he acted on what the instruments said, even though he felt differently. The reality is that our emotions have the ability to lead us to a place of disaster. And the only instrument that will consistently give us the guidance and understanding we need is the Word of God.
Even this morning you may have experienced a range of emotions. Perhaps you felt frustrated trying to get the kids ready for church and out the door. Maybe you were struck with anxiety thinking about being in a group of people. Maybe you have lingering sadness because of something that happened to you yesterday or earlier in the week. Is the Word of God sufficient to help us with our emotions? Yes! Even though it’s a broad subject, I’m convinced the Bible provides us with everything we need.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Easter Sunday - Lamb on the Cross, Lion on the Throne
I can only imagine what it would have been like to be present on that morning. To see Mary and the other women as they went to anoint Jesus’ body, only to find the stone rolled away.To run with Peter and John as they went to investigate the evidence. To see the linens clothes in the empty tomb. Or to be with Mary when she grabbed on to Jesus, not wanting to see him go again. Or to be on the road to Emmaus when the resurrected Christ opens the Scriptures to two disciples and their hearts began to burn. Or to be in the upper room when Jesus came through the locked door and gave them convincing proofs. Or to be beside the Sea of Galilee having breakfast with him.
To spend our time thinking about any of those resurrection scenes would be to our profit. However, on this easter morning I’d like us to consider a different resurrection scene. Not a scene on earth but a place in heaven. Not a scene back in time, per se—but a scene outside of time. A profound display of the victory of the Lamb who was slain. I’m convinced that this scene—this vision of Jesus—is enough to make a realize that the resurrection Christ is worthy of our entire lives.
As you’re turning to Revelation 5, let me remind you that this is a vision given to the last living apostle, John. John was exiled to the Island of Patmos on “account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” And while he was there he had a glorious vision of the resurrected Christ. And the very word “Revelation” comes from the greek word apokalypsis. It means the unveiling or the uncovering of something that was previously hidden. I liken it to a theatrical production, and as the show begins the curtains are drawn back so that what was previously covered is now revealed.
And what was revealed to John that day was an incredible vision of Jesus in all of his glory, ministering to the churches, moving through the seven golden lamp stands. But then, after that John is given an invitation in chapter 4. He saw a door standing open in heaven, and he heard the voice of Jesus telling him, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” And what John was shown was a celebration of God on his throne in chapter 4, and a celebration of the Son of God in chapter 5. And I want us to focus this morning on the celebration of the resurrected Son.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Good Friday - The Torn Veil
I’m always amazed at people who have a knack for using object lessons when teaching the Bible. After all, everyone loves a good visual or illustration. Just the right one has the power to help us understand biblical concepts. That’s one of the reasons I love the work our children’s curriculum team does—they do an incredible job of not only explaining the text when they write their lessons, but also demonstrating it with activities.
At the moment Jesus died on the cross, God gave us one of the most dramatic object lessons in the Bible. You see, there was a veil hanging in the temple. When Jesus gave out a final cry from the cross and yielded up his spirit, this veil tore in two from top to bottom. At first that might not strike you as significant, but any devout Jew would have felt the weight of something so unprecedented. It will be to our benefit to not overlook its meaning.
PDF Manuscript: Psalm Sunday - The Weeping King
You cannot know Jesus Christ unless you know him as King. I want you to think about that statement this morning as we find ourselves in a familiar scene recorded in Luke 19:28-44. A scene that describes a crucial day in the most momentous week in all of human history. This is Holy Week. And all around the world Christians are celebrating the events that took place over 2000 years ago. It is a day that begins with Palm Sunday—today. And it ends with Easter Sunday. These two great events bracket Holy Week. We call it Holy Week because it encompasses the most sacred events of the Christian faith. All the things that we hold most dear were proved to be true during this great week in Jerusalem.
Before we read our passage, however, I want to make note of two important themes. I alluded to one already. Everything about this scene is designed to let us see that Jesus is the king. Everything he does is kingly. Not the kind of king that anyone would have expected. And not a king, but the king. Second, I want you to watch for the theme of suffering. Isaiah the prophet referred to Jesus as a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
Isaiah could have referred to Jesus in other ways. A man of holiness, or humility, or love. He is all of those things, but he chose to refer to him as a man of sorrows. The final week of Jesus was marked by suffering and sorrow. And while there is certainly a tone of joy in our passage today, it is also a scene that interrupts the joy by his tears. You cannot know Jesus Christ unless you know him as King—the weeping king.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Family
There was once a mother who had a young daughter. And the daughter said, mommy, where did human beings come from? She said, sweetie, God created Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve had children. They had children, who had children, who had children, and so on. And eventually, that's how we came here.
Well, she then asked her father the same question—where do people come from? And he said, well, a long time ago, there were monkeys. And over time they evolved and this is where we came from. We evolved from them.
So now this little girl is very confused, goes back to mom, and says, "Mom, I don't understand it. You said God created us. Dad says that we evolved from monkeys. So which is it?” And her mother smiled and said, “Sweetheart, it's quite simple. Your father was explaining his side of the family, and I was explaining my side of the family.”
Isn’t it true that family life can be awfully complex at times? Five years ago the Pew Research center published findings that depict changing family life in American. For example: "The share of children living in a two-parent household is at the lowest point in more than half a century: 69% are in this type of family arrangement today, compared with 73% in 2000 and 87% in 1960. And even children living with two parents are more likely to be experiencing a variety of family arrangements due to increases in divorce, remarriage and cohabitation.”
But even if you have what is considered a more normal family arrangement, that doesn’t mean you’re free from the everyday challenges that come with being a husband or wife, a parent, a child, or a sibling. There’s a familiar saying by the writer Harper Lee that goes something like this: “you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” While there may be some truth in that—you can choose something about your family. You can choose to cultivate a God fearing atmosphere. You can choose to invest in your family in a way that makes an eternal difference.
We've been looking at the book of Proverbs, and I think you'd agree that if we need wisdom in any area, we certainly need it when it comes to our family life. And perhaps the urgency of that is underscored by the fact that our true characters are revealed with those who are closest to us. You see, outside of the home it's easy to project a certain level of spiritual maturity. Or pretend that we have everything together. We can fake it at church. We can fake it at work or the places we go. But not so in marriage and parenting.
Audio Block
Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3.
Learn more
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Humility
Pride is our greatest enemy and humility is our greatest friend. The other day I came across a story of an army colonel. He had just been promoted to that position. When he was getting settled into his new office someone knocked at the door and said, “This is Private Johnson. May I see you sir?” He said, “Just a minute.” The colonel, wanting to look impressive, picked up his telephone and he said real loud, “Yes, Mr. President. I understand, Mr. President. We will take care of it right away, Mr. President.” And of course he wasn’t talking to the president, but he wanted to make it seem like he was talking to the president. He wanted to appear bigger than he really was.
The colonel then said, “Mr. President, just give me one second.” Then he said, “Come in, Private.” The private came in and the colonel asked him to talk quickly because he had the president on the other line. “What can I do for you?” “Well,” the private said, “I just came in to connect your telephone.” The Lord has a wonderful way of teaching of humbling us from time to time, doesn’t he?
As we continue in our study of Proverbs I want us to look closely at the subject of humility. Which is always sort of difficult topic to preach on because I’ve by no means mastered it. In fact, spending the week reflecting and studying on the virtue of humility makes me realize all the more that I am not “uniquely qualified” to speak on the subject. Lurking within the depths of my own heart is pride. At times I think, say, and do things that come from my own pride. But, I’m reminded though of what Charles Spurgeon once said, “every Christian has the choice between being humble or being humbled.”
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - The Tongue
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I don’t know who thought of that saying, but they were wrong. It’s true that sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can also break a person. The author of Proverbs says that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18:21).
Mary Ann Bird was born in Brooklyn in 1928 with a severe cleft palate. Before adulthood she underwent seventeen surgeries. As you can imagine, the other kids were not very kind to. Her misshaped mouth and teeth, along with her garbled speech, made her the object of ridicule. In an article she wrote for Guideposts Magazine in 1985, she said, “By the age of seven I was convinced that no one outside my family could love me.” That changed in the second grade when she was in Mrs. Leonard’s class.
Every year the school gave hearing tests. During one part of the test, each child went to the door of the classroom, turned sideways, closed one ear with a finger, and the teacher whispered something from her desk, which the children would repeat. Then, the same thing was done for the other ear. Throughout the testing, little Mary Ann wondered what Mrs. Leonard might whisper to her. The teachers usually said things like, “The sky is blue,” or “Do you have new shoes?” Then came Mary Ann’s turn. She went to the door, turned her ear to Mrs. Leonard, plugging up the other with her finger. This is what Mary Ann Bird later wrote of the next few moments: “I waited, and then came the words that God had surely put into her mouth, seven words that changed my life forever. Mrs. Leonard, the teacher I adored, said softly, ‘I wish you were my little girl.’” Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Steps to Maturity
Every time you get into your car, you inevitably look at the dashboard. The dashboard provides you with certain information that you need to have close at hand. What speed you’re going. How much gas you left. Then there is other information like the temperature of your engine, and the level of your oil. You don’t watch that constantly, but if the temperature of your engine rises you need to know. All of this information is displayed on a dashboard in front of you.
Imagine what would a dashboard for your soul would look like. There would be different lights, no doubt, alerting you to impulses in your soul. Tendencies that pull you away from God. Tendencies that keep you from moving forward in the Christian life.
Maybe some of those warning lights on your dashboard would be: Fear, pride, greed, self-pity, resentment, anger, lust. In the same way that you and I find vital information on the dashboard of our car, the book of Proverbs opens our eyes to the dashboard of our soul.
John Calvin said that nearly all the wisdom we need comes in two parts—the knowledge of God and knowledge of ourselves. That means you’ve got to know God and you’ve got to know your own heart. That’s exactly why the writer of Proverbs tells us to “keep your heart with all vigilance” (Proverbs 4:23). In our passage this morning, the writer of Proverbs alerts us to three areas of life that need to be on our dashboard. It’s the only way we gain wisdom, and it’s the only way we’ll take steps toward maturity.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Disaster and Delight
We’re going to discuss one of those topics that seems to be talked about everywhere these days, except in church. Which means we probably need to be talking about it a whole lot more. As we continue in our study of Proverbs, chapter 5 presents us with a clear and forthright discussion of sex. And if you’ve read the Bible, you know that God is not silent when it comes to this topic. In fact, it would be impossible for us to do justice to the book of Proverbs and not talk about sex. Large portions of chapters5, 6, and 7 talk about sex. Which means two things: One, you can’t talk about how to live wisely in this world without addressing sex. Two, there is no area of life that God hasn’t spoken into—even those we think are most hidden.
Our study this morning is only going to profitable if we recognize this: this is a part of life that Christians don’t always handle very well. I could give you the statistics that show pornography among both men and women is at the level of a global health crisis (has skyrocketed since Covid-19). I could give you statistics about adultery, premarital sex, and divorce rates. But I’m not going to, because you already know that sexual sin is pervasive. Some of you are struggling with it currently, others of you have gone through it, and we all know lives that have experienced devastation because of it. We desperately need the wisdom of God when it comes to sex. Let’s see what he has to say about it.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Fatherly Advice
It’s the everyday choices that matter. The amount of wisdom you have, or lack thereof, is shaped by your everyday choices.
Frank Abagnale was one of the most notorious con artists. If you’ve ever read the book or watched the movie Catch Me If You Can, you know that Abagnale convincingly impersonated an airline pilot, a physician, and a lawyer—even passing the bar exam despite never attending college. But he didn’t start out that way. When he was 15 years old, he swindled his dad out of $3,400. When he ran away from home at age 16, he lied about his age and altered the dates on his driver’s license so he could get better employment. From there, he began to write personal checks on his own overdrawn account. Next, he began to create new identities in order to defraud banks. Then, he began printing his own checks. With each step, his scams became more elaborate, more bold, and more criminal. It all started with an everyday choice.
You see, no one wakes up one morning and thinks, “I’m going to set out on a path of self-destruction.” Rather, it’s marked by the incremental, careless, foolish, self-focused decisions that we make day in and day out. One incremental move to the right and we become accustomed to it. We make another move to the right, and eventually end up much farther than we ever intended. What starts out as a little white lie now and then turns into a constant habit of lying about everything and becoming a person no one trusts. It’s the everyday choices that matter. It’s the everyday choices that determine who we become.
Likewise, the author of Proverbs describes our character as being determined by the sum total of our daily choices. The seemingly little choices place us on either the path of wisdom or the path of foolishness. The path of uprightness or the path of wickedness. The path of life or the path of death. It all begins with a choice. Regarding wisdom, Derek Kidner says, “What it takes is not brains or opportunity, but a decision. Do you want it? Come and get it.”
I want to invite you to turn to Proverbs chapter 4 as we continue our study in everyday wisdom. We’ve defined wisdom as the ability to live skillfully from God’s point of view. Wisdom allows us to navigate the realities and complexities of life. But wisdom is more than just having high morals. It’s also knowing the right thing to do in the many life situations that are not specifically dealt with in the Bible. It’s about developing the character of both mind and heart that changes the course of your life forever. So, how do we get there?
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs: Everyday Wisdom - Better Than Gold
In 2012, a 19-year-old man from Washington state named Dakoda Garren was charged with stealing a rare coin collection worth at least $100,000. After Garren had completed some part-time work for a woman living north of Portland, the woman reported that her family coin collection was missing. Her collection included a variety of rare and valuable coins, including Liberty Head quarters, Morgan dollars, and other coins dating back to the early 1800s.
Initially, Garren denied any involvement, claiming that the police didn't have any evidence against him. But then he started spending the coins at face value, apparently unaware of the coins' worth. He and his girlfriend paid for movie tickets using quarters worth between $5 and $68. Later on the same day, they bought some local pizza with rare coins, including a Liberty quarter that may be worth up to $18,500.
The news article reported, "Garren has been charged with first-degree theft and is being held in jail on $40,000 bond. Which, technically, is an amount he could easily afford if the valuable coin collection were actually his."
When we fail to see the value of something, we will never be able to enjoy all that it has to offer. That applies to the area of wisdom—more specifically biblical wisdom. At this point in our series, you’ve perhaps noticed that the book of Proverbs takes a long time before it gets to what we normally think of as proverbs. The first nine chapters comprise a long introduction. It’s only in chapter ten that we get to some of the short, pithy statements that we expect to read.
Why do you suppose Solomon spends so much time introducing wisdom? I’m convinced that he knew something about us that makes him come back again and again to why we need God’s perspective on all of life. He knew that unless we understand what wisdom is worth, we won't pursue it like we need to.
PDF Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Admonition & Reward
“You’ve never really thought enough about anything.” In Tim Keller’s devotional book on Proverbs he says that one of the main messages of this book is that “you’ve never really though enough about anything.” In other words, Proverbs helps us to take all of our thoughts and actions and center them on God. And in a surprising way, Proverbs helps you grapple with realities to which you haven’t given enough thought.
I was reminded of this the other day while I was sitting at the dining room table. Theodore was on my lap holding my Bible. He turned to the book of Proverbs, chapter 18 and verse 2 and told me to read it. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his own opinion.” If my son was older than three, I might be tempted to think he was calling me a fool! But it struck me, regardless of how many times I’ve read that—I haven’t thought enough about how my speech reveals something deep in my own heart.
A Better Version of You?
As we continue in our study of Proverbs, I hope you’re having the same experience I am. Every week I’m confronted with the fact that I need more wisdom. But not because I need more helpful tips, or ethics, or practical advice—although we get that from the book. What I need, what we all need, is a deep wisdom at the level of the heart.
What you don’t need is just a slightly better version of you. You go can to the self-help section of Barnes and Noble and find a treasure trove of books that will help you manage your money better, communicate better, look better—but the wisdom of God is meant for so much more. This wisdom of God, when received, brings a fundamental change to the heart that works its way through our affections.
You see, the book of Proverbs is more than a repository of “how to” principles for successful living. It is part of the grand narrative of God’s past, present, and future work of salvation that is unveiled in Scripture. In many ways, the book of Proverbs demonstrates that wisdom can be accessed only in a relationship with God. Fearing God, or living in a right relationship with him, is the beginning of wisdom (1:7). We cannot have God’s wisdom without God, because as Proverbs 2:6 says, “The Lord gives wisdom.” And the Lord only gives wisdom to those who put their faith in him and thus become part of the covenant people (Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:5–14). We need to view wisdom as not merely life principles, but rather a path to a more God-centered life.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Proverbs Everyday Wisdom - Growth
There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge." In response Socrates led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into the water. Then he asked the young man, "Now tell me, what is it that you want?"
"Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a smile.
Socrates put his hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under the water. Thirty seconds later the wise philosopher lifted his pupil out of the water. "What is it again that you want?" he asked. "Wisdom, O great and wise Socrates" the young man said under labored breathing.
Socrates again took the man and held him under water, this time longer. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five, forty, forty-five. Finally, Socrates let him up. The man gasped for air as Socrates asked him, "What do you want, young man?"
He labored to answer. "Knowledge, O wise and wonderful . . ." To this response Socrates then plunged the man under water, this time holding him for close to a minute. As the young man came up panting for oxygen, Socrates asked him, "What do you want?” "Air!" the young man screamed. "I need air!” Socrates responded, ”When you desire wisdom as you have just desired air, then you will have it”
I think most of us would probably say that we desire wisdom. But how desperate are you for it? Is it as important to you as the air you breathe? Our passage in Proverbs this morning tells us that we should be desiring wisdom—seeking it with great intensity. But why?
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Listening
Sometimes we don’t realize that we’ve ignored the voice of wisdom until a storm hits. When I was in seminary studying for my master’s degree, I served on staff at a new church in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts. One winter evening we had a worship gathering. I had heard that there was going to be snowstorm coming through around the time our service would start. I didn’t think much of it. Now, mind you, I lived on the North Shore of Boston at the time, on the seminary campus. It was a good 45–50-minute drive from where this church was. When everything ended, I looked out the window and could see the snow beginning to pile up. A few people mentioned to me that perhaps driving back to the school wasn’t a good idea. The senior pastor offered for me to stay at his place. But, when you’re 23 years old, you do in fact “know everything.” I assured everyone that I would be fine.
As I made my way out of the city, the snow began to fall faster and heavier. I thought about turning back, but I pressed on anyway. As I got on the highway, things went from bad to worse. I found myself in a complete whiteout. I couldn’t see more than several feet in front of my car. My knuckles were turning white as I gripped the steering wheel with intensity. And at some point, I realized that I found myself in a storm because I had ignored the voice of wisdom. I’m still not sure how I made it home that day, but I learned a lesson.
Some lessons come at a greater cost, don’t they? At my previous church, I had a man come to me whose marriage of 16 years had crumbled. To his amazement, his wife was demanding a divorce, and suddenly his entire world began cave in on him. He was desperate to stop her from leaving him. But as we began to talk, it became clear that he had been ignoring the voice of wisdom for many years.
He had a successful career as an engineer with an oil company. He volunteered for assignments that took him all over the world—often for months at a time. His wife had pleaded for him not to. He worked overtime any chance he had. His wife begged him to be home more with her and the kids. He often missed holidays to make more money, despite promises he wouldn’t.
That man had been involved in a Bible-teaching church. In fact, his father was a pastor. Many times he had heard God offering his wisdom. But when he faced the choice of turning to God’s wisdom or away from it, he refused wisdom. Wisdom was right in front of him, demanding that he change his ways. But he walked away from it. As a result, he was never able to reconcile with his wife. It was too late.
I want you to feel the urgency that emerges from the last section of Proverbs 1. It is a passage full of warnings to pay attention to wisdom, because otherwise it’ll be too late.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Enticement
Pastor Ben asked me to join this sermon series on the book of Proverbs and I was delighted. I love the book of Proverbs. In fact, it’s funny, as a family we’re reading through the book of Proverbs right now in our family Bible time. Proverbs is such a down-to-earth, practical book. There is so much great wisdom here for real-life stuff that we all face. And not only that. Not only is there helpful, everyday wisdom, but these Proverbs also point us to the gospel. I can’t tell you how many times during family Bible time, we read a Proverb and start discussing it, and we find ourselves talking about Jesus and the gospel and salvation and the Holy Spirit. The book of Proverbs is beautiful and powerful and life-changing.
Our passage for today is Proverbs 1:8-19. Here’s the main idea of this section: wisdom helps us resist the enticement of sin.
Remember last week Pastor Ben said that wisdom is the ability to live life skillfully from God’s point of view. Now this week we going to look at how God wants us to live skillfully in one particular area of life, and that’s the area of enticement to sin, temptation to sin. Proverbs gives us wisdom to help us resist the enticement of sin. Now just to make sure we’re all on the same page, do you know what I’m talking about when I say the enticement of sin? I’m talking about the pull toward sin, the allure of sin, the temptation to sin. Have you felt that in the past week? In the past hour? I know I have. And I desperately need wisdom to resist the enticement of sin. One of the best ways to get our brains around this idea of temptation is to think back to the Garden of Eden.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Proverbs - Everyday Wisdom - Wisdom
It was one of the strangest concerts to ever take place. January 12, 2007—the time was 7:51AM—rush hour. Commuters were hurrying through the L’Enfant Plaza Subway Station in Washington, D.C. A man took out a violin and began to play for the next forty-three minutes. During that time just over a thousand people walked by. As people rushed by on their way to work, they were faced with a choice. Stop and listen? Admire the beauty? Throw some loose change in the open violin case? Or keep moving due to the demands of time?
Only seven people briefly stopped to admire his performance. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run. In total he received $32 and some change. So what’s the big deal? Well, the violinist happened to be a man named Joshua Bell—one of the greatest violinists of all time. He annually books more than 200 international engagements per year. Three days before he stood in the Metro station, he was playing to a filled house at Boston’s Symphony Hall. A decent seat to hear him play went for $100. But on that Friday morning, in his street clothes and a baseball cap, playing a $3.5 million Stradivarius violin, no one paid him much attention. Almost no one stopped to observe the flawless execution of Bach pieces. And when he was finished, there was no applause or standing ovation. Maybe the subway riders that morning had no ability to recognize how well it was played because they weren’t trained musicians themselves. Or perhaps they were so focused on the tyranny of the urgent that they refused to slow down, listen, and take it all in.
Why do I tell you that story? Because in a sense it illustrates what Solomon said in Proverbs 1:20–21: “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy street she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks.” You see, God wants to speak into our lives a type of wisdom that only he can provide. Amidst the busyness of life and the competing voices of culture, the wisdom of God is made available to all of us in a life-changing way. The question is, “Are we willing to slow down, listen, and take it all in? Or will we pass by, unaware of the beauty and power of biblical wisdom?”
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Psalm 90 - Live Today for What Lasts Forever
There is a certain foolishness which comes with being young. For instance, when I was younger, I thought I would live forever. Not really, but I certainly tended to act that way. When we are young, there is a part of us that believes we have all the time in the world. When we believe that we have all the time in the world, we tend to waste a lot of it. We start to focus on things with little value in the long run. We live for the pleasure of today. Eventually, we become busier and more distracted. Any notion that we should live for things beyond today, things of eternal value, is lost on us. It’s something we can worry about tomorrow.
As we age, a lot of things change: we get a bit taller, maybe a bit heavier, we develop a few more wrinkles, and our hair begins to lose its color. But what never seems to go away is that foolish tendency to center our lives on things that don’t have lasting value. Our culture is steeped in this. We are a people that live for the pleasures of today. We’re addicted to instant gratification. When hard times happen, we escape into fantasy. We are so busy that we don’t stop to consider those around us. Is it possible that we’ve become so focused on the moment that we become blind to things of eternal value?
I think this is at least part of what made this year so difficult. Everything was put on hold. We weren’t able to see a movie, eat out, go to school, or do one of the myriad of things that we do to occupy our time. It reminds me a little of my kids. Sometimes I need to have an important discussion with them. I have learned not to try to do that when the TV is on, because they will be too distracted to hear anything that I am saying. So, I will grab the remote and turn the TV off. When I do, I am able to have their full attention. This year I feel like God has, ever so graciously, pushed the OFF button on the remote. So many distractions were temporarily removed, and we had a moment to put our full attention on him. To look away from busy things and to contemplate weightier matters, matters of life and death. But will this focus last longer than just this moment? What prevents us from returning to our old foolishnes?
Look, I am as glad as anyone else to put this year behind me. I’m ready to make some half-hearted resolutions and forget that 2020 ever happened. But let’s not be in such a hurry that we miss an opportunity for growth. In light of that, what I would ask us to consider this morning is, “How do we shift our perspective away from temporary things of little lasting value? How can learn to live today for what lasts forever?" I hope we can answer those questions as we examine Psalm 90.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: The Songs of Christmas - Simeon’s Song
Why is waiting so difficult? So much of our lives are spent in waiting. We wait in line to check out at a store. We wait for packages to arrive. We wait for the winter to be over so we can enjoy spring and summer. We wait for the next job or the next promotion. We wait to meet that special someone. We wait for difficult seasons of life to come to an end. We wait for relief from suffering. We wait for a call from the doctors office. We wait for an end to Covid. We wait, hoping that loved ones will trust in Jesus. So much of our lives our lives are spent in waiting. And I want to propose to you today, that how we wait makes all the difference.
In Luke’s gospel he introduces us to a man who was familiar with the waiting game. His names is Simeon, he is the composer of what is the fourth song in Luke 1 and 2. This Advent season we’ve been studying the songs of Christmas. The first Christmas carols that were sung in response to the coming king. And the reason these songs are important is that they help us to understand the heart of Christmas.
Now, when we think of the Christmas Story, Simeon isn’t normally someone who comes to your mind—is he? Aside of the Lord Jesus, we think about Mary, Joseph, the shepherds…. We give little mention to Simeon. There’s nothing about him in our Christmas songs, no one is selling Simeon figurines. He’s by and large and overlooked character in the Christmas story.
But there’s something about his response that is unique. I think the best way to say it is like this: “He gets it.” He had insight into what God was doing in the miraculous birth of our Lord, when a lot of other people didn’t. When Jesus arrived in the manger, we hear nothing from Caesar, the Roman senate, the philosophers in Athens. Even among the Jews, no one seemed to give much thought except for Herod, who was simply paranoid. Simeon, however, get’s it. And what we see in Simeon this morning is someone whose greatest longings were finally fulfilled. His waiting came to and end. And he shows us that how we wait makes all the difference.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: The Songs fo Christmas - The Angels Song
Saul was king but losing his grip on the kingdom. Israel had been on the defensive militarily with battles often in the heart of Israel. Worship was almost non-existent because most of the priests had been killed by Saul in a fit of rage. And now, the Philistines are again threatening, gathering their forces in the Jezreel valley near Mount Gilboa.
Saul was afraid and not sure what to do. His army is gathered around him on Gilboa, but he can clearly see the Philistine army in the valley and what he sees is causing his heart to tremble greatly. Samuel the prophet had died, and God was not speaking to him either by dreams or by the prophets, so he decides to visit a medium – The Witch of Endor – to see if he can bring up Samuel. (1 Sam 28:15-19)
15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” 16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The LORD has done to you as he spoke by me, for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”
That is what sin does – it turns God away from us and He becomes our enemy. Ultimately, sin brings death as it did to Saul.
PDF Sermon Manuscript - The Songs of Christmas: Zechariah’s Song
Imagine for a moment that you weren’t able to talk for 9 months. Not a word. It’s not that you didn’t know how, or hadn’t ever talked, but you were prevented. Almost as if your mouth was sewn shut. And if you weren’t able to talk for 9 months, what would be the first words out of your mouth when the silence was finally broken?
In our passage this morning, we hear the words of such a person. Zechariah wasn’t able to speak for 9 months, and the first words out of his mouth were one of the most beautiful songs in the New Testament. It is the second song of Christmas we are looking at this season. When we come to the gospel of Luke and read the events surrounding the birth of Christ, we have recorded for us four songs that were sung in response to the coming king. They are the first Christmas songs every written. And they do more than get us into the holiday spirit. They give us an incredible window into the hearts of those who had longed for God’s promises to be fulfilled. So, I want you to open to Luke 1 as we look at the second song of Christmas.
PDF Sermon Manuscript - The Songs of Christmas: Mary’s Song
Like many of you, I’m sure, Friday was the day we switched gears from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Which means I went into the basement and got our fake Christmas tree out of storage. While decorating it was the perfect time to have some left-over pie and enjoy a cup of coffee. And of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the music. Nothing gets you into the Christmas season like music. I like the classic songs we all know the words to, like “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I love the great hymns of Christmas like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and “Joy to The World.” Then there’s some Christmas songs that should be banned, like “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer.” That’s a bit too morbid, if you ask me.
Well, this morning I want us to look at the first Christmas song ever written. When we come to the first two chapters of Luke and read the events surrounding the birth of Christ, we have recorded for us some songs that were sung in response to the coming king. And the reason these songs are important is that they help us to understand Christmas better than Bing Crosby ever could. You see, what you will find in Mary’s song is a certain hope that is couched in the grandeur of God and the weakness of humanity. You see, what Mary does in the midst of her uncertainty is look deeply into the character of God. Her response to the news that she would give birth to the Messiah is a striking example of what it means to submit to the sovereign will of God.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Psalm 103 - Remember All His Benefits
It’s been an interesting year, hasn’t it? Everyday life has been interrupted in ways we never thought possible. Schools closed, restaurants and businesses shut down, having to wear masks, unable to visit loved ones in the hospital or nursing home. Not even the ability to have a proper funeral when someone passes. Add to that racial tensions and political unrest. The year 2020 is one we will never forget. All of this gives us plenty of reasons to lament.
And yet, I’m worried. I’m not worried about getting Covid, or the state of the economy, or the results of the election. Perhaps I should be, but none of these things take God by surprise, so I trust that in a way unbeknownst to me they all fall within his sovereign will. Instead, I’m worried about something more profound. I’m worried that we’ve taken God for granted.
After all, it’s easy enough to do. When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, let’s just say they didn’t always have the best attitude. After leaving Egypt they quickly became experts in the art of grumbling. For forty years they complained about the food, they criticized their leadership, they bemoaned the challenges God put in front of them. Never mind that God had miraculously delivered them from brutal slavery. Never mind the promises kept and the future that awaited. Never mind the parting of the Red Sea. Never mind how God had dealt graciously with them. They took the mercies of God for granted. They seemed to have forgotten these things. And for many of them, their sin would cause them to not see the Promised Land.
In some sense, we find ourselves in a proverbial wilderness. We’ve quickly become all too skilled in grumbling about our circumstances. Our social media posts tell only of our unhappiness with present circumstances. And God’s graciousness has been all but forgotten. So, what should we do? We need to give ourselves a good talking to. That’s what Psalm 103 is all about. It’s a Psalm of David, and I want you to take note of who he’s talking to. He’s not primarily talking to other people or even God. He’s talking to his own soul. And he tells his soul, don’t forget to remember.
PDF Manuscript: Psalm 51: How to Deal with Your Guilt
Guilt has a way of lingering. Edgar Allan Poe's haunting short story "The Tell-Tale Heart” is about a man who has committed murder. He hides the body under the floorboards of the victim’s apartment. And yet, he’s unable to escape the lingering guilt of what he’s done. He begins to hear the heartbeat of the slain man. The pounding beat is relentless. It goes on and on and on. The man finds himself in a panic. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the pounding that drove him mad was not coming from the murdered man under the floorboards but was the pounding within his own chest. So it is with an unforgiven conscience.
You see, the longer a person refuses to deal with their guilt, the longer they will find themselves in the depths of distress. Guilt is a lot like an iceberg. You don’t see much above the surface, but if you’re willing to go down and really look, you’ll see it is extensive and is under everything. But how do we remove it? How can we experience cleansing and renewing power? Who can be free from the crushing weight of guilt?
You can begin to find your way to Psalm 51. It’s the prayer of a man whose sin was as grievous as one could imagine, yet he also found forgiveness with God. His name is David, King David to be exact. The Bible describes him as a man after God’s own heart. But David, like all of us, has a story. His story goes something like this… Listen as I read out of 2 Samuel 11 before we go to Psalm 51.
[2] It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. [3] And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” [4] So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. Then she returned to her house. [5] And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” (2 Samuel 11:2-5)
It was the greatest moral and spiritual disaster of David’s life. He committed adultery. He took advantage of her. Abused his position of power. And he tries to cover it up. Sin has a way of snowballing, doesn’t it? One lie leads to another. One event is followed by another. You see, Bathsheba has a husband—Uriah. Where is he? Well, it was the time of year when all soldiers would go out to fight in battle. David should have been there with him, but he wasn’t.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians - The Rare Jewel of Contentment
No one knows how long it had been hidden. Covered with mud and sand, it looked like any other stone. But one day, in 1990, it caught the eye of a Brazilian farmer as he was watering his fields. Unbeknownst to him, he held in his hand the largest red diamond in history. In its unaltered form it was 13.9 carats. And while all-natural diamonds are rare, this one was a red diamond—the rarest of them all. It is known as the Moussaieff Red Diamond, named after the collector who purchased it. The sale price was never disclosed, but some estimate it to be in the vicinity of 8 million dollars.
As rare and precious as that stone may be, I want to speak to you this morning about something even more rare and of far greater value: contentment. In the same way that the Moussaieff Red Diamond went unnoticed for so many years, I believe that many Christians go about their lives without fully seeing the value of contentment. In a sense, it is a rare jewel. In fact, a Puritan pastor by the name of Jeremiah Burroughs preached a number of sermons on the topic in 1642. Two years after his passing, the sermons were compiled into a book called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.
Just think about how easily we become discontent. Discontent while driving behind another vehicle that is going too slow. Discontent that the server is taking too long to bring out our food. Discontent when it comes time to pay the bills because you don’t feel like you make enough money. Discontent with your house. Discontent with your vehicle. Discontent when you aren’t getting recognized for your stellar performance at work. Discontent with your marriage. Discontent with the weather—too hot, too cold. Discontent with the speed of your internet connection.
I believe that one of the greatest challenges of the Christian life is learning to receive what God in his sovereign freedom has chosen to give us, rather than looking over our shoulder at what he has chosen to give to others. Even though we know that as Christians we shouldn’t be discontent, it seems that so often we find ourselves restless and searching for something of value in our lives, yet never finding it. So often we are unable to handle even the slightest bit of affliction or inconvenience, sliding into a complaining spirit. Christian contentment is indeed a rare jewel. The Apostle Paul, however, tells us that he learned the secret of being content. And we can too.
Today we come to the end of our study of the book of Philippians. We could think of this New Testament letter as essentially a thank-you note from the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi. When they heard he was a prisoner in Rome, they sent money to support him. But Paul can’t merely say thank you. He was the one who had started that church. He was a father in the faith to so many of them. And it was his earnest desire to see them move towards greater Christlikeness. He wanted them to gain momentum in the Christian life. What this final section of his letter reveals is that Christian contentment is absolutely essential.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians - Standing While Running
The secret to running the race of the Christian life is learning to stand still. I know, that doesn’t sound quite right, so I’ll say it again. The secret to running the race of the Christian life is learning to stand still. The book of Philippians teaches us that the Christian life is forward moving. The Apostle Paul likens it to a race, whereby Christ is the prize. The moment we come to faith in Christ, we’re then set on an infinite journey to be more like him. A journey that is marked by humility and sacrifice. A journey where we gradually allow our lives to be shaped more and more by the gospel.
But it’s also a journey filled with opposition. A journey where we encounter enemies of the soul. A journey where we not only deal with outward pressure and spiritual warfare, but the sinful tendencies of our own flesh. How does one persevere through that? How do you stand firm while still running? We find the answer to that in Philippians 4:1-9.
PDF Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians - Heavenly Citizen
What do you most long for? If you were to identify your deepest, most unmet needs, what would they be?
I think that question can best be answered by looking at our greatest fears. For many, the greatest fear is death. We’re afraid to die, and afraid of our loved ones dying. We crave the security of knowing what actually lies beyond the grave. We fear the future. There’s not a one of us here that doesn’t think about the future, wondering what will happen. Just think of how much anxiety arises out of this need to have clarity about the future. We want to know things are going to be okay. We want a level of trust in what’s to come. We fear being alone. In every society people feel the need to seek out community, to establish relationships that are safe, and healthy, and productive. We fear chaos. You might be less cognizant of this one, but if you think about it, we all feel a need for authority. We look for a leadership figure who will provide order in the midst of chaos. I think that’s why elections can become so contentious, because we all long for someone to lead the way forward. And lastly, we fear insignificance. All of us recognize that on an individual level we have value and worth. That’s why we care what others think about us, and we fear not being noticed. We crave respect, we want to be recognized.
All of this, I believe, can be summed up in our longing for heaven. Our greatest fears, and our greatest needs, are all satisfied in heaven. For those who fear death, the future, being alone, chaos, and insignificance—are ultimately longing for heaven. Our passage today speaks about heaven. But what the Apostle Paul has to say about heaven in Philippians 3:17-21 might be different then what you would expect
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study In Philippians - Pressing On
Every year since 1986, competitors have gathered at Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee for one of the world’s toughest marathons. The Barkley Marathons. In fact, it is so tough that only 14 people have ever finished under the 60-hour time limit. The distance is roughly 130 miles and the course has more than 60,000 feet of elevation gain and loss over the total distance. Temperatures can range from freezing cold to blistering hot in the same day. What’s even more difficult is that no GPS devices are allowed, and racers have to find a book at each checkpoint and tear out the page that corresponds to their number. Only 35 people are allowed to run each year, and few even know how to apply. There is no website. There are no advertisements. The application price is $1.60 and a written essay on why they should let you run. From the application process to the finish line, it seems like an impossible race.
In today’s passage, through the Apostle Paul, God calls us to aim for the finish line of what seems like an impossible race. So impossible is this race that only God can pull out the victory. The finish line of this race, or the goal, is to be found perfect in Christ. In the verse before this, Paul expresses his supreme desire to know Christ, his power at work in him, and ultimately the resurrection to come. The course of this race is intimacy with Jesus Christ.
I’m concerned, however, that there are many of us who are not running. Let me tell you why you need to pay close attention to the passage we are about to read. It does not take much for one to become spiritually stagnant. Maybe it doesn’t feel like you're moving backwards, but you certainly aren’t moving forward. You’ve begun to give little attention to your progress in the Christian faith. There’s little growth. There’s a passion for Christ that is lukewarm at best. There is little study of God’s Word. Prayer is largely restricted to meals and what you hear on Sunday morning. And there is no sense of urgency to pursue the things of Christ. If that describes you, or has ever described you, you need Philippians 3:12-16. My aim this morning is to do everything possible to convince you to get back in the race.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study In Philippians - Trading My Rags for His Robe
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is arguably the best engineering school in the country. The competition to get in is cutthroat. Ninety-two percent of the students applying have SAT math scores over 700. Whether or not you get in is in large part decided by Marilee Jones, MIT’s dean of admissions. She's extremely qualified to make such decisions since she herself has degrees from three well-known universities. Or at least that’s what she said. In reality, she lied on her resume. She wasn’t even a college graduate. For twenty-eight years she worked at MIT. When administrators at MIT became suspicious, all they had to do was make three short phone calls. Two schools said they had never heard of her, while the third said she took a few classes but never graduated. Her resume was trash. Despite earning MIT's highest award for administrators, she was forced to resign in 2007.
The story of Jones’ padded resume isn’t just a lesson in how lying will catch up to you; it highlights the outright obsession our culture has with high achievement. Trophies, medals, plaques, and awards are given to those who stand out. Scholarships are given to those with the best grades and test scores. Promotions are given to those who produce or sell the most.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with appreciating and recognizing great accomplishments, but none of those earthly successes will translate into heavenly merits. It certainly won’t work for you to build a moral resume before God: a list of good works, having the right experiences, doing the right deeds, praying the right prayers, volunteering in the right places, avoiding the worst habits. None of those will put you in right standing on the day of judgement.
What will you have to show for your life when you stand before Jesus Christ? A good job? Money in the bank? Lots of friends? A good reputation? A treasure that is temporary and of no eternal value? Soon enough, all of us will find ourselves standing before a holy and perfect judge. What are we trusting in to give us a good standing on that day?
Turn with me to Philippians chapter three. The Apostle Paul knew all about the temptation to find confidence in one’s own achievements. He knew because he had been there. If anyone ever had the opportunity to trust in their own accomplishments, it was Paul. But one day, he had an encounter that changed everything. He realized that everything he had accomplished turned out to be filthy rags.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians- Portrait of Two Heroes
If you were to walk into our basement, you would find a plastic box filled with about 200 comic books. They’re not just any comic books—they were my mother’s comic books from the late 50’s and early 60’s. There’s a wide assortment of everything from Archie to Disney, but my favorite are the Superman comics. In part, because I’m holding out that someday they might be worth something. But also, because everyone loves a hero. Someone who helps others. Someone who gives of themselves in extraordinary ways. Someone who is worthy of being emulated.
Mark Twain once said, “Few things are more annoying than a good example.” But, in my estimation, few things are more powerful than a good example. A good example has the power to help others change. To inspire. To model what could be. The Apostle Paul recognized that to be true, and in his letter to the church at Philippi he highlights two men who were important in his life and ministry. Men that in many ways are heroes.
We’ve been making our way through the book of Philippians, finishing chapter 2 this morning. When we began this chapter, Paul spoke about the humble, downward movement of Christ. He left the glories of heaven to come and die on the cross, only to then be exalted back to his throne. In light of this, Paul tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling because God himself is at work in us. Verses 1-18 are some of the richest in the entire book. But then, we come to Philippians 2:19-30. It is perhaps one of the most neglected passages in Philippians. Some think there isn’t much to be digested in these verses. In fact, the famous theologian, Karl Barth, once said that this passage “does not contain any direct teaching.” Barth, however, was wrong.
As you begin finding Philippians 2:19-30 in your Bibles, I want you to be on the lookout for more than just Paul’s travel plans. Although he shares some details about his travels, what you are going to see is a portrait of two heroes. Two godly examples who embody the very things that Paul has been describing up until this point in the letter.
Of course, you have to ask why that’s important. Why devote 10% of the letter to talking about Timothy and Epaphroditus? Because Paul wanted to give living, breathing examples of ordinary people who were living out what he had just taught. Because the church at Philippi needed real people, role models, living examples—heroes. They were dealing with a bit of conflict in their congregation: selfishness, pride, complaints. It’s one thing to tell a church how they need to change, but it’s another thing to provide flesh-and-blood examples. I firmly believe that in order for a congregation to change and grow, it will take real people to embody these qualities we see in men like Timothy and Epaphroditus.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians- God at Work in You
Imagine with me for a moment that you’re visiting a church for the first time….
-
People in the hallway complaining that there aren’t enough people serving
-
People in the auditorium complaining about the temperature in the room
-
People in the bathroom grumbling about how leaders are responding to a global pandemic
My guess is that if you were a Christian looking for a new place of worship, you’d probably opt to check out a different congregation the next week. However, if you were someone who was skeptical about Christianity, you might just opt to not give church another try. You might even be reluctant to listen to an explanation of the gospel because everything about your visit to church didn’t seem all that attractive to you.
Complaining and arguing have a way of driving people away. But gratefulness and graciousness have a way of drawing people in. Whenever someone witnesses the members of a church loving and caring about each other, being joyful and sacrificial with their lives—they might just stop and say, "God is in this place." And that’s because when there is harmony in the church, it shines the gospel in dark places.
We find this kind of encouragement in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. As he’s writing to his dear friends, he reminds them to be gracious to one another. He reminds them to be joyful and humble. He reminds them to put others first. He reminds them to put away complaining or squabbling. After all, these saints at Philippi were all part of God’s family. And when others see the family of God in harmony and unity, they’ll want to be a part of it.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians- A Downward Journey
There’s always a ladder to climb. At least that’s what we’re taught. We’re taught that there is a ladder of success, and if we’re not on the way up then how can we have a sense of self-worth or accomplishment? There’s the ladder of career to climb: a new job opportunity, a new title, a new salary. There’s the ladder of real estate: a new house, a bigger footprint, a better neighborhood. There’s the ladder of stuff: a new car, a new iPhone (I hear the 12 is on its way.) There’s always a ladder to climb.
You see, we want to climb the ladder because every step higher represents self-importance. Every step up elevates “me” above others. The more we climb, the more we are tempted to say, “I matter more. My interests are more important. Serve me.” Everything about our society tells us that we need to climb the ladder of self-importance. But what happens when that mindset works its way into the church? Is it too hard to imagine that conflict, criticism, and separation follow?
In Lewis Carroll’s famous book Through the Looking Glass, Alice steps through the mirror in the living room to find a world on the opposite side where everything is backwards. Alice wants to go forward, but every time she moves, she ends up back where she started. She tries to go left and ends up right. Up is down and fast is slow. In the same way, God’s kingdom is a kind of looking glass world where everything works on principles opposite to those of the world around us. To be blessed, be a blessing to others. To receive love, give love. To be honored, first be humble. To truly live, die to yourself. To gain the unseen, let go of the seen. To receive, first give. To save your life, lose it. To lead, be a servant. To be first, be last. And instead of climbing up the ladder, we’re actually supposed to climb down.
If you would, take out your Bibles and begin turning to Philippians 2, because it is in this text that we discover spiritual progress to be a downward journey.
In July we began a teaching series through the book of Philippians. Now, I assume all of you took copious notes and therefore you don’t need any reminders about what we’ve studied. But on the off chance you missed some of it, let me give you refresher. You see, it all started ten years before this book, which is a letter from Paul. Having been led by the Spirit of God, Paul went to Philippi and shared the gospel. And those who were his first converts also made up the core of this small church. Fast forward, Paul is in prison. The believers at Philippi send Epaphroditus to give Paul some gifts. They wanted to let Paul know they still cared for him. And through the course of that visit Epaphroditus also tells Paul about some of the issues they’re having. Some people are having trouble getting along. There’s grumbling in the congregation. There’s a lack of unity. There’s a bit of selfishness and pride. And so Paul sends him back with this letter we have in our Bibles.
PDF Sermon Manuscript: Core Values- Gospel Relationships
Lost people matter to God. I like that phrase. Don’t you? After all, lost people matter so much, that God the Son was willing to be sacrificed on a cross so that you and I might live with him forever. Our God is a God who pursues people who need to be saved from their sin, and no one on this earth is beyond his grace.
Do you look at other people that way? The same way that God does? Do you long for the redemption of people who are far from God? Lost people matter to God, but do they matter to you?
We come to the final message in our series discussing our core values as a church, and we would fail miserably in carrying out the Lord’s vision for his church if lost people did not matter to us. Let me state that conviction in a positive way:
We develop meaningful relationships through which the good news of Christ can be clearly communicated in both word and deed.
That’s a well-worded statement, is it not? I’m convinced, however, that it is only a statement as long as our hearts are not in the right place. There are all sorts of reasons why we find ourselves reluctant to share the gospel with others. Perhaps it has something to do with our work environment, the possibility of ridicule, lack of competence. But as I began to pray about this, I came to a place where I realized that much of that can be overcome when lost people actually matter to us. So, I don’t want to talk to you this morning about techniques or programs for sharing the gospel. I want to talk with you about what I believe is the heart of the matter when it comes to gospel relationships. I want us to look at a passage that the Lord has been using in my own life to help me see my shortcomings in this area.
PDF File of Sermon Manuscript: A Vision Worth Pursuing: We Value Human Dignity
It was August of 2000. We had taken our then family of four on a trip to Detroit to see the Tigers play. There were fireworks after the game. They were loud and the thunderous echo throughout Comerica Park was painful. Margie, Caleb, and I covered our ears while we watched the explosions continue. Andrew, however, didn’t even flinch during the cascading blasts. I remember fearfully thinking, He can’t hear, he must be deaf. After numerous tests and visits with doctors, we were assured his hearing was fine; instead, he must be suffering from a speech delay. A few months later, in January 2001, I was sitting in the dentist’s office waiting for my appointment and reading an article in Sports Illustrated about Doug Flutie and his son with autism. The description of family life was painful to read. I remember clearly thinking, I am so glad we are not dealing with autism. Later that month, one of the speech therapists working with Andrew suggested we have Andrew tested for autism. I was initially in denial, but by the end of March we received confirmation of his autism diagnosis.
Our world changed in ways we could never imagine. We experienced glares and whispers from people as a meltdown was occurring in a store, in a restaurant, and even here in church. Having a child with a disability cost us social relationships and left us wondering what people thought or why they would be mean to Andrew. But it also positively impacted career decisions (I am still here after 24 years, in part because of autism and the fantastic educational supports Andrew received in school) and provided the impetus for my doctoral work. We have spent the better part of the last 20 years learning about living with a cognitive disability and discovering how the image of God is manifested in a person with autism.
Sermon Manuscript PDF File: A Vision Worth Pursuing: Core Values- Faithful Living
Good morning, brothers and sisters! Brothers and sisters in The Beloved, from the youngest of the believers here this morning to the oldest, we who have put our trust in Jesus Christ, we belong to Him AND we belong to one another. Consider this…“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
Because of His great love for us, this church, this local assembly, this body, exists to…
LOVE GOD
Love the Truth
Love our Neighbors
Over a month ago when Pastor Ben kicked off this series on our Mission Statement and Core Values, he shared that this content came from the elders contemplating this question and this prayer: “God, where are you taking us?” That is a pretty “right to the point” question to ask of our God, but one that He is fully capable of answering. I believe our Abba Father loves to hear questions like that from His children…it shows dependency. The results of contemplating and seeking God’s will led us, the elders, to some conclusions which Pastor Ben shared that first week.
“We simply are not ok with the lack of people coming to faith in Christ. We are not ok with the number of baptisms. We are not ok with our current level of outreach into the community. And while there is much that this church is doing right and is worth celebrating, we need to take the next steps. We need to take steps in going deeper into discipleship. We need to take steps in reaching people outside of these brick and mortar walls. We need to take steps towards being a church that attracts others with the beauty of Christlikeness.”
We believe God has given us quite specific direction to the question we asked of Him, “Where are you taking us?” Whereas this direction and these initiatives are unique to where this church is right now, in the context that we live in, these plans are built on the foundation of the Mission Statement which, while it may be written by us in a unique way, is not in its purpose unique to us at all.
Sermon Manuscript: A Vision Worth Pursing: Core Values Bible Centered
Never underestimate what God can do in the life of a person who loves the Word of God and has become saturated in it. Solomon Ginsburg was a man who could testify to that kind of life. He was a Messianic Jew who lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. After becoming a Christian, he traveled the world preaching the gospel. In 1911, he decided to head to America. His route took him to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. From there he would cross the Bay of Biscay to London, and from London on to the States.
When Ginsburg arrived in Lisbon, he became a bit apprehensive about his travels. The bulletin boards were plastered with warnings about storms raging on the Bay of Biscay. He was advised that, given the potential danger, he should delay his trip to London for one week. He began to pray about what to do. As he did, he began to mull over a verse of Scripture that he had read earlier that day from Deuteronomy 2:7: “The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey.”
In those moments, Ginsburg felt a sense of reassurance that he was under the divine protection of God as he traveled. So, he boarded the ship at once, crossed the Bay of Biscay without incident, and caught a boat called the Majestic in London. The rest of his journey to the States was as smooth as could be. Only after arriving did he learn that, had he delayed his trip in Lisbon, he would have arrived in London just in time to have boarded the Titanic. Never underestimate what God can do in the life of a person who loves the Word of God and has become saturated in it.
That’s precisely the theme of our passage this morning: loving the Word of God and being saturated in it. Look with me at Psalm 119:97-104. The first verse immediately makes the theme clear, and the remaining seven verses tell us why the psalmist loves God’s Word, and why you should as well.
Sermon Manuscript: A Vision Worth Pursing: Commitment: All In, All The Time
The human body is one of the most complex and amazing organic systems in the world. The members of the body display incredible diversity and function, and at the same time, they are unified and connected. Likewise, the church of Jesus Christ grows and functions correctly when all the members use their gifts for the building up of the body. Each part is interconnected and dependent upon the other parts. If one body part ceases to function, the whole can’t grow to complete fullness. In the same way, each member of the church is necessary for the body of Christ to grow to full maturity. When one member of the church becomes disconnected, it affects the health, the witness and the growth of the entire body. If Calvary is to grow in Christlikeness, it will require each of us to be fully committed.
As you know, your elders have been prayerfully working through where we believe God is leading us as a church. In doing so, we have developed a very simple and focused mission statement to act as a compass for the future direction of Calvary:
We exist to love God, love the truth, and love our neighbors.
This mission statement is meant to act as “true north” for our ministry, against which we should weigh all that we do. Do we continue to love God with all of our hearts and souls and minds, ascribing to him our worship and obedience? Do we continue to lift high the Bible as the infallible, authoritative word of God, allowing it to mold our hearts and minds? Are we reaching out in the love of Christ to our neighborhood, our city, the world? We believe that as we fully embrace this, God will grant the increase. Yet, to truly fulfill this mission as a church, it will take commitment. Thus “Commitment” is one of our Core Values as it relates to loving God. When we use the word “commitment,” this is what we are saying:
We covenant to use our time and gifts toward the building up of Christ’s Church and this local fellowship.
Today, I would like to ask the question, “What would it look like for each person at Calvary to commit to using their time and gifts toward the building up of Christ’s church and this local fellowship?” Or to ask it another way, “Are we all in, all the time?”
A Vision Worth Pursuing: Core Values - Worship
What does it mean to long for someone? When there is someone you want to be near to. When there is someone whose voice you want to hear. When there is someone you think about every waking moment. When there is someone whose presence you want to experience and will not be satisfied or fulfilled until you do—you long for them. When you long for someone, it can feel as if you’re trapped under water, and with each passing second you become more desperate to reach the surface and breathe the air.
But what does it mean to long for God? Let me read to you a journal entry from a man named David Brainerd. He lived a very short life, dying at age 29 as a missionary to the Native Americans of New Jersey during the mid 1700’s. Listen to some of what he wrote on Friday, September 10th.
“Longed with intense desire after God; my whole soul seemed impatient to be conformed to him, and to become ‘holy, as he is holy,’ – In the afternoon, prayed with a dear friend privately…O, with what intense desire did our souls long for that blessed day, that we might be freed from sin, and forever live to and in our God! – In the evening, took leave of that house; but first kneeled down and prayed; the Lord was of a truth in the midst of us; it was a sweet parting season’ felt in myself such sweetness and affection in the things of God.”
In my estimation, Brainerd experienced a longing so deep that the presence of God became the most satisfying place. That’s what I want to talk about this morning. I want to talk with you about worship, but I have nothing to say about genres of music or style or preferences. Instead, I want us to think about worship in terms longing for God.
Sermon Manuscript: A Vision Worth Pursuing
The story of Helen Keller is miraculous when you consider her circumstances. At nineteen months old, she contracted an illness that left her both blind and deaf. In spite of that, she learned not only to communicate but went on to earn a college degree, publish twelve books, and become a lecturer and political activist. Key to her success was a woman named Anne Sullivan who taught her how to communicate by having Helen spell words in the palm of her hand. On one occasion, Keller spelled out this phrase into Anne’s hand: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
That’s an incredible statement coming from a woman who was blind. Sight is a function of the eyes that allows us to see what is in front of us. Vision, on the other hand, is the ability to perceive what could be and what should be. And that’s exactly what I want to talk with you about this morning. I want to present to you today what Calvary could be and should be in the next five years. Think of vision as answering the question, “Where is God taking us?”
Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: Study in Philippians; A Call for Unity
On December 2, 1942, President Roosevelt received a message that read, “The Italian Navigator has landed in the New World.” That was a cryptic message meant to inform the President that the Italian physicist, Enrico Fermi, had just conducted the first controlled nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago.
A nuclear chain reaction is the breaking apart of atoms that God has put together. It releases small particles that cause other atoms to break apart and release more little particles. The result is a tremendous release of energy. Enough energy, in fact, to destroy an entire city. Fast forward almost three years to August 6, 1945. It was the day the United States dropped its first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The explosion came with about 13 kilotons of force. It leveled five square miles of the city and killed 80,000 people instantly. Thousands died later from the radiation. The consequences of that atomic blast were far reaching.
But there is something that has a much more devastating power—sin. Sin, in a chain reaction of sorts, that began in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve’s decision to take life into their own hands has been working its way through human history ever since. Breaking apart what God has put together. Destroying relationships. Destroying lives. And leaving a death toll too large to count.
The Apostle Paul knew that even the best of churches would not find themselves immune to the devastating power of sin. That’s why, when under house arrest in Rome, he writes a letter to the church at Philippi, reminding them how crucial it is to fight for the unity of their congregation. Paul knew that our indwelling sin, left unchecked, has the potential to set off a chain reaction that can break apart God’s people and dishonor God’s name.
Sermon Manuscript: A Eulogy for Cultural Christianity
As a nation, we have seen great seasons of the clear hand of God blessing His people. Even before we were a free nation, God visited His church in what historians call the Great Awakening. Men like Jonathan Edwards, Gilbert Tennent, and George Whitefield were instrumental preachers who called men and women to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Later through the turn of the 18th century to the 19th century, God was moving among His people again and out of this second Great Awakening was birthed movements that would impact the lives of millions and bring freedom and a voice to some people who were previously marginalized in society. Both the abolitionist movement and the women’s suffrage movement took off as people began to apply truths and principles they were learning in the Bible to their lives and to their culture.
During the time of our founding fathers, pastors (along with undertakers) were paid by local governments and municipalities. Every community needed a pastor and a undertaker. This was true in America until as late as the 1820’s, literally for the first 50 years of our nation. Religious life was clearly active and influential in government.
Fast-forward 100 -150 years and find the America that I grew up in. Most people I knew growing up went to church. It was the cultural norm. Most people I knew growing up would tell you that they believed in God (even those who didn’t go to church). Most people I knew growing up would tell you the Bible is the Word of God and we should follow it. Religious Holidays were celebrated in the public square. Almost every business was closed on Sunday. Nativity scenes could be found on many state and local government properties. Even holidays like Thanksgiving and Memorial Day, which were not part of the traditional church calendar were treated with significant religious importance by public officials.
Today we live in a culture where Christians have been marginalized. Our voice is not welcome in the public square. Most people do not go to church. Society at large doesn’t believe the Bible and they certainly do not believe it is relevant to public life. The media and the entertainment industry have been relentless in their display of contempt for Christ and His church. The tide has turned. The Christian faith is no longer the cultural majority in America and it hasn’t been for a long time. Society tells us that there are no absolute truths…except that one. Culture says there is no God and to follow the teachings of a 2,000 year-old book is both foolish for the individual and oppressive for the rest of society. The loudest voices in our community say that you can practice your religious beliefs inside your home but don’t take them to the public square. Don’t expect anyone else in the culture to respect your religious beliefs.
Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians; A Life Worthy of the Gospel
The sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912 is perhaps one of the greatest losses in the history of ocean travel. On April 14, just before midnight, the ship hit an iceberg. Two hours and forty minutes later, it split apart and sank. As people were scrambling for the few available lifeboats, legend has it that the ship’s captain could be heard shouting, “Be British, boys, be British.” That was a shorthand way of saying, “Be strong, stand firm, do what you’re trained to do, and do it with courage.” Be British, boys, be British.
The Apostle Paul had something similar to say in Philippians 1:27 and following. While we don’t know everything the church at Philippi faced, it seems they had a particular need to be reminded of their ultimate allegiance. You see, Philippi was a Roman colony. It had been established by the great Caesar Augustus; that was a source of pride for them. To be a Roman citizen came with a myriad of benefits. Not only that, church historians contend that Paul’s friends in Philippi would have been expected to attend the civic ceremonies that praised the Roman gods. They would have been expected to refer to Nero, the Roman emperor, as their savior and lord. They would have lived daily with the pressures to be like every other Roman citizen. The church at Philippi, however, was comprised of people who had come to know a greater savior. A greater lord. One who required their ultimate allegiance.
In this world, believers will feel that same tension. We’ll live with competing allegiances. We’ll face opposition as we try to live out the implications of the gospel. Yet the stakes are high, because if we fail to live lives that match the very faith we profess, what does that say to everyone else? If how we live is inconsistent with what we believe, how can we ever expect the gospel to advance in our midst? So, how are we supposed to live so that our lives don’t betray the very gospel we profess?
Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians; Living and Dying
Like many of you, when I was in high school, I was forced to read Shakespeare. And while most of us easily forgot the pieces of English literature we never understood in the first place, there’s a good chance you remember this famous line: “To be, or not to be: that is the question.”
Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, finds himself in an excruciating predicament. His uncle had murdered his father, seduced and married his mother, and seized the throne. He saw no way out of the situation. Therefore, he begins to contemplate whether it would be best to continue living or if it would be better to die. He thought that perhaps ending his own life would offer an escape from what he called “a sea of troubles.” Yet he hesitated because he feared the unknown future that lay beyond the grave. As miserable as life was for him, who knows what there might be after death—perhaps something worse?
Not everyone finds themselves in as dark a place as Hamlet. Nevertheless, live long enough and you will certainly know what it’s like to be in “a sea of troubles.” What’s around the next corner? How much can I handle? Maybe you were laid off last month and money is tight today. Will tomorrow bring bankruptcy? You had surgery to remove a cancerous spot. Will it show up again? Some go through one trial after another without much of a break, so much so that life begins to lose its appeal. Add to that uncertainty about the future, and death too has no appeal.
Paul’s Predicament
We’re continuing to study the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. As he writes to them, his circumstances might be best described as “a sea of troubles.” Much like the fictional character Hamlet, Paul is caught between a rock and a hard place. He’s contemplating whether it would be better to continue living, or better to die. And yet, his attitude is altogether different. Instead of seeing the choice between life and death as a lose-lose situation, he sees it as a win-win. As he explains in this letter to his friends, he’s close to going to trial. At trial, Caesar is going to decide to let him live or have him put to death. Either one of those, in Paul’s estimation, would be great!
Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study in Philippians, Having the Right Perspective
A well-known person once said, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them….Not only may you see a tiny fraction of what God is doing in your life; the part you do see may make no sense to you.”
Is that true? When you are faced with unlikely circumstances, do you believe that God is doing things that you are not even aware of? Do you believe that God is working beyond your trials, not only for your good, but so that the gospel will spread?
I realize that a perspective like that is hard to have in difficult times. Right now is a very unusual season in the history of the world. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic that is life-threatening. We’re dealing with the effects of shelter-in-place orders. At the same time, our nation is grappling with issues of extreme injustice. Can God actually be using those circumstances for good?
Winston Churchill was having a particularly hard season in his political career. He wondered out loud why a certain thing had happened to him. His wife then proceeded to tell him it was a “blessing in disguise.” To which Churchill responded, “If it’s a blessing in disguise, then it’s disguised well.” If we’re honest, the purposes of God often seem disguised.
If you were to ask the Apostle Paul these same questions, no doubt he would say, “Yes.” He would tell you that God is certainly doing a work in your difficult circumstances, even though you may not be aware of it. How do I know? Well, he tells us as much in his letter to the church at Philippi. I want to invite you to begin opening to Philippians 1:12–18.
We began a study last week in Philippians. And the reason we’re calling this series Momentum is because this small letter has everything to do with how we move forward in our faith. Whether you’re immature in the faith or have been walking with the Lord for many years—Philippians shows us what it is like to keep moving forward. And our passage today helps us to move forward in the midst of dark circumstances.
Sermon Manuscript: Momentum: A Study of Philippians; How to Pray for Progress
If you were to travel to the northern area of upstate New York, along the Thousand Islands, you would find one of the strangest mansions in America. Actually, it’s more than a mansion—it’s a castle. It was built by millionaire George Boldt as a display of love for his wife, Louise. He loved her very much and he wanted to give her this mansion and move in on her birthday, which was Valentine’s Day. Construction started in 1900. It is six stories high with a hundred-twenty rooms. He used the finest materials and the best craftsmen—some of them from Europe. He spared no expense for four years getting everything ready for the day when the two of them would move in.
However, they would never move in. In 1904, when the castle was almost done, a telegram arrived saying that Louise had suddenly died and that all work was to stop. It was so close to being finished that there were crates of furniture outside waiting to be unpacked. George, however, was so heartbroken that he never set foot on the island again. Everything was left, frozen in time. It was a good work that was begun but never completed. It was a house that was started and never finished.
Perhaps you’re aware of this already, but you and I are a work in progress. If you’ve come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, no doubt your life has changed dramatically, but you’re not complete or perfect. A good work has begun in you. But unlike George Boldt’s castle, the Lord promises to bring that work to completion. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul said to his fellow believers, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus” (v6).
Making Progress
You and I are on an infinite journey. A journey to progressively look more like Christ. But what does that look like? How do we make steps towards maturity if we’ve never done so? Or perhaps for some of us, we’ve lost momentum, but we need to take the next step in our journey. I’m excited to spend the next thirteen weeks studying the book of Philippians. There are a number of themes in this little book, such as joy, contentment, and unity. But it all stands under the umbrella of making progress in our journey towards Christlikeness. It’s a book that will help us gain momentum in the Christian life.
Sermon Manuscript: Psalm 8: God’s Glory and Ours
Where do you find the answers to your greatest questions? I’m not talking about the questions that seem important only in this moment, like “where do I find toilet paper in a global pandemic?” But the questions that endure throughout time. The ultimate questions of life, such as, “Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose in life?” These questions are unavoidable. So, where do you find the answers?
There is a great temptation for us to think the answers to these questions are found inside ourselves. But the reality is that will only create further confusion and uneasiness. Our most basic questions about life are really questions about our identity. The vast majority of people are trying to find themselves. They’re on a discovery to find out who they are. And typically, people approach this issue from three different vantage points.
#1: “I am what I acquire.”
This is the approach that relies on what they get—money, power, recognition—as the basis for their identity. This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t work hard in our vocations. But whenever you say, “I have to have this or achieve that in order to be somebody,” then you’re going to come up short. You’re not going to have a robust sense of self-worth and identity, because what we acquire never does anything to remove brokenness. Which is why we find out that among the elite, celebrities, athletes, etc., there is profound brokenness (addiction, abuse, divorce).
#2: “I am what I feel.”
This approach says, “If I can dig deep enough and find out what I truly want, then I’ll know who I am.” There are two problems with this. Our feelings are often contradictory. We have competing desires (I want to travel the world while settling down and having a nice career and family.) Also, to live on the basis of our feelings will always cause us to be frustrated at the fact they don’t provide a coherent self-identity
#3: “I am who I say I am.”
This is a very postmodern view. Whereas the first two views are looking for an identity—outside oneself or inside oneself—this view says, “I create my own identity. There is no God to submit to and therefore I am who I say I am.” There’s no morality or boundaries. And anyone who would tell you you’re wrong is being oppressive and intolerant. Well, that’s a very intolerant way of looking at things.
The Bible, however, gives us a strikingly different alternative. I want to invite you to turn to Psalm 8. In this portion of Scripture, we are given two portraits—a portrait of God and a portrait of ourselves. And what we find in Psalm 8 is not only a majestic portrayal of God, but a portrayal of humankind that gives any discerning hearer a sense of worth that can’t be found anywhere else.
But the order is vitally important. He begins and ends with the majesty of God. The majesty of God’s name is like two brackets. And in between? That’s where you and I fit in. In the middle he tells us about the glory of humankind. You see, you’ll never quite understand who you are until you understand God. You’ll never answer your greatest questions apart from God.
Majestic Glory: The Attributes of God, God is Jealous for His Glory
I have one aim this morning: by the end of this message, I want you to be filled with jealousy. I want you to be so jealous that it consumes you—a jealousy strong enough to dictate your priorities. A jealousy so intense that it makes other people think you’re crazy.
Of course, I’m talking about a kind of jealousy that is different than what we normally think of. When we think of the word jealousy, the word typically has negative connotations for us. If someone is jealous, they may have an attitude that says, “I want what you’ve got, and I resent you because I haven’t got it.” Jealousy can cause an obsessiveness that leads to destructive decisions in a person’s life. In today’s language, jealousy often is used to describe or explain an unpredictable emotion, such as rage. So, there is a sinful jealousy that wreaks havoc on relationships. Naturally, then, we associate the word “jealousy” as something bad.
But what do we do when we come to the Bible and find that the word “jealousy” is used over and over again? Do we gloss over it? Especially since jealousy is attributed to God many times. In fact, did you know that “Jealous” is one of the divine names of God? (Exodus 34:14).
Two Types of Jealousy
It only makes sense that the word “jealousy” can also be positive. And that’s what I want to talk to you about today. A “holy jealousy.” A “godly jealousy.” A jealousy that does not spring forth from envy or insecurity, but a jealousy that is chiefly concerned with the glory of God. You see, there is a type of jealousy that seeks to protect a relationship, a type of jealousy that seeks to maintain exclusive devotion.
Let me try to illustrate these two types of jealousy. If you use the term as we commonly know it, you might conjure up the image of a jealous husband—one who is unjustifiably suspicious of his wife. He always seems to be mad, controlling, and unpredictable. He’s insecure and irrational, always paranoid about what his wife is doing. He lashes out and becomes abusive. His actions are driven by envy. And he destroys the marriage. Jealousy, in that sense, should be condemned. And that is most certainly not the way in which the Bible uses jealousy.
Instead, think of a husband who loves and cares for his wife so much that he is committed to her and her well-being. He protects her. He nourishes the relationship. He tenderly cares for her in such a way as to ensure nothing gets in between their devotion to one another. He remains faithful to her. And should she flirt with adultery, he draws her back to himself. Would we ever condemn a husband who is seeking the honor and welfare of his wife? Of course not. And in a sense, this is how the Bible uses the word jealousy. There’s a difference between being jealous of someone and being jealous for someone.
Majestic Glory: The Attributes of God, God is Patient
I ran across a story the other day about a young father. He was in the supermarket with his son, who was strapped in the front of the shopping cart. The little boy was not behaving well that day. He was irritable, crying, pulling things off the shelves. The sort of behavior that caused others in the store to glance over. The father, on the other hand, was very calm. As he continued to make his way down each aisle, he said, “Easy now, Billy. Stay calm, Billy. We’re almost done, Billy. Everything is going to be just fine.”
A woman passing by was amazed at how this young father was being so patient. She said to him, “You certainly know how to talk to an upset child with gentleness.” She leaned over to the little boy and said, “What seems to be the trouble, Billy?” “Oh no,” said the father, “I’m Billy.”
I don’t know what patience looks like for you. Maybe it’s talking yourself through a tense situation. Maybe you have another way of coping. Or perhaps, patience is something that is a real struggle or an area of weakness. Without a doubt, we’re living in a season that is testing our patience in new ways. We’re all eager to get back to life as “normal.” And what has been almost two months of stay-at-home orders can easily feel like two years.
Today I want to talk about the patience of God. We’re nearing the end of our series on the attributes of God. And one of God’s many perfections is that of patience. But I have to tell you, this is one of the least-talked-about attributes. I’m not sure why that is the case. But I’m certain that the patience of God is something that we should treasure—a perfection that should comfort us, challenge us, and motivate us. As I thought about the patience of God this week, it occurred to me that I’ve often overlooked God’s patience. And yet, it is the patience of God that allows his redemption work in both my life and yours. We need the patience of God far more than we think.
Sermon Manuscript: Majestic Glory: The Attributes of God, God is Ever Present and All Knowing
“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.” Tim Keller wrote those words in a book on marriage. And I think it gets to the very core of what we all need and what we all long for. To be known and yet loved. To be known in such a way that someone is fully aware of us in the most intimate of details—our faults, our past, our idiosyncrasies—and yet still loves us.
We’re living in a season of social distancing, not by choice, but because of the global pandemic with which we are faced. But I’d argue that, in a sense, social distancing was already happening. More and more, the technology of today has made it possible for us to interact with others while maintaining distance. Without really getting to know others, and without others getting to know us. For example, social media is not reality. It’s a hyper reality. An Instagram post can portray what you want it to portray. There are filters. There’s editing. Just because you follow someone online doesn’t mean you actually know them.
Social media aside, how many would you say actually know you? Know your faults, know your past, know your longings, know your intentions, know your fears—know everything about you? How many people would you say truly know you, and love you?
Well, we come to a chapter of the Bible this morning that describes the ways in which God knows us. Follow along with me if you have a copy of God’s word. We’ll be in Psalm 139, reading from verse 1 until the end.
Sermon Manuscript: Majestic Glory: The Attributes of God God is Mercy and Grace
You may or may not be familiar with the British philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Bentham was the father of utilitarianism, an approach that measured right and wrong by “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Like most philosophers, Bentham was an odd duck. He was so strange that he wrote in his will that, upon death, his body was to be dissected and preserved as an auto-icon. So in 1832, when he passed away, his skeleton was preserved, dressed in his own 17th century clothes, and made to sit on a chair. A wax image of his head was then mounted onto the skeleton, with a hat. Legend has it that for the longest time, Bentham was wheeled into council meetings at University College of London, where his remains are. In the minutes of the meeting it would always say, “Mr. Jeremy Bentham, present, but not voting.”
Some have said this story is a myth. Regardless, Bentham’s preserved corpse illustrates for us a truth that the Apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 2. Unless God has made us alive, we are dead. Dead in our sins. “We are present, but not voting.” That is the predicament humankind is in—a predicament only remedied by the mercy and grace of God.
Over the last few months we’ve been studying the attributes of God. Or better said, the perfections of God. And the reason why we’ve taken this course of study is this: no one greater than God could ever occupy our thoughts. To contemplate the depths of God does not disappoint. You will find that the more you meditate on his attributes, the more your soul is nourished—especially in times of great difficulty.
So today we take up two of God’s attributes: his mercy and his grace. Why both? As I see it, the two are often coupled together in the Bible. For example, Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Likewise, we find something similar in Psalm 86:15 and Psalm 145:8. And here in Ephesians 2, we find Paul saying that God, who is rich in mercy, has saved us by his grace.
Sermon Manuscript: God is Just
Introduction
Consider, if you will, the cross. For countless Christians, the cross has been a symbol of hope and faith. It is a reminder of our heavenly Father’s love, mercy, and grace. We sing about it, we thank God for it, in times of desperation we cling to it. Now, consider the man hanging on that cross: Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Son of God. Sinless yet bloodied, beaten, rejected, dying...for us. If we would attempt to fully appreciate what happened with Jesus on the cross, we must rightly understand the just nature of God who placed him there. My hope today is that we come to know and celebrate this glorious aspect of God’s nature and come to understand how the cross of Christ allows us to stand justified before him.
God is Just
What does the Bible mean when it refers to God as just? To call God just is to declare that he is incomparably righteous. That God always acts in accordance with what is right. That God’s very nature is the final standard of what is right.
Deuteronomy 32:4 says of God, “The Rock, his word is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”
In Isaiah 45:19 the Lord says of himself, “I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.”
God is the perfectly faithful and true Judge who will not fail to exercise his justice in each and every situation. It is by virtue of God's justice that we can be assured that no sin, either open before the eyes of the world or done in complete secrecy, will go unpunished. It is to say that everyone will ultimately get what he deserves.
This ought to make us pause. That God is just is something that each of us, in part, embraces. There is a part of us that desires justice to be met impartially and truly. We want to see the wicked give an accounting for their wrongs. It seems right that those taking advantage of the weak and innocent should pay. Yet, if we are not careful, we may live in the belief that God’s justice is for somebody else and miss the truth that we are equally measured by God's justice. Paul tells us in the book of Romans that “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10-12)
This puts us in the most dire situation. If each of us stands guilty before the holy and just God, then what are we to do? I invite you again to consider the cross, because it is at the cross where we see the God who is both just and our justifier.
As we explore this aspect of God’s character, I would invite you to open your Bibles to Matthew 11:20-30. This is a rich passage from which I hope to pull out observations to help us better understand God’s justice and how we ought to respond to that justice
Sermon Manuscript: God is Love
“What is love?” That’s the question a British newspaper was asking in an article I read several years back. The writer of the article garnered opinions from thosewhom they considered to be experts. They asked a physicist. His answer was that love is basically chemistry, and we really have no control over it because we’re talking about the release of chemicals such as pheromones and dopamine. Not only that, love is a survival tool that we have evolved over time to promote long-term relationships.
They asked a psychotherapist. Her answer was that love is a variety of emotions—sexual, non-sexual, brotherly—but that we must not forget self-love, because unless you love yourself, you can’t love others.
They asked a writer of romance novels. Unsurprisingly, she couldn’t really define love. After all, from her vantage point, it depends on your situation. But one thing is certain, it’s the emotion that drives all great stories. Is love chemistry? Is love emotions? Is love the undefined driver of good novels? What is love?
We use the word love in a variety of ways. We use the word love to refer to just about everything and anything. We use love in reference to what we cherish most: “I love God.” “I love my family.” But we also use the word love to regularly refer to things that are of lesser value. My wife made an apple pie the other day, and halfway through the first piece I said, “I love apple pie.” So, what is love?
We’ve been talking about the attributes of God since mid-February. The perfections of God. The things that make him who he is. We’ve looked at attributes such as his supremacy, his sovereignty, his holiness. And today we look at his love. But it’s not just that God has love or shows love. In two verses, verses 8 and 16, of 1 John 4, we find this phrase: “God is love.” In other words, any discussion about love has to begin with God, because that’s who he is. And if the very essence of God is love, then we would be remiss to try and understand love apart from him. If we fail to understand what is meant by that phrase, “God is love,” will we be able to even experience the love that humanity longs for?
Sermon Manuscript: I Have See the Lord
Mary’s story begins in the darkness of early morning. There was no sunrise service. Instead, there was weeping, fear, and confusion. You see, that first Easter Sunday was not completely unlike today. Instead of God’s people gathering together as a group, they were scattered. His most faithful followers were gripped by sadness and uncertainty. In fact, the disciples were frightened enough that they stayed indoors. They weren’t entering into self-quarantine but were nonetheless sitting in the midst of crisis.
All of that changed when Jesus appeared in what was Mary’s darkest hour. In those moments, the appearance of Jesus turned Mary’s weeping into proclamation of the greatest truth in all the world. You see, the resurrection of Christ changes everything—in both life and death. I want you to see this morning that in much the same way as Jesus appears in Mary’s darkest hour, he appears in ours. And when light enters into the darkness, nothing is ever the same.
Liberated by Jesus
The story of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus at the empty tomb is found only in John’s gospel. I’d encourage you to grab a Bible and begin making your way to the 20th chapter of John. Although Mary plays an important role in the life of Christ, we know only so much about her. She is one of at least five different women named “Mary” in the New Testament. Careful reading is necessary lest we get them confused. Mary Magdalene came from the village of Magdala on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. She was one of a group of women who became followers of Christ during his earthly ministry. She and the other women joined themselves to Jesus and his apostles and followed them from village to village—helping them in various ways.
Some people think this was the woman Jesus caught in adultery in John 8. There really isn’t any evidence for that, it’s purely speculative. Some think she was the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7. But again, there isn’t a case for that. What we do know—and perhaps most important—is the fact that she had been liberated. She was set free by Jesus. We are told in Luke 8:2 that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her, which meant that before her initial encounter with Jesus, she was enslaved by demonic powers. We don’t know how she ended up in that condition; what we do know is that the love and devotion we see passionately displayed in the gospels by Mary is an overflow of her gratitude for Jesus. She had encountered Jesus in a way that changed her forever.
Mary loved Jesus. When our Lord hung on the cross, she stood nearby with Mary his mother. When they took his body down from the cross, she was there to see that awful sight. When they placed him in the tomb, she was watching it all happen. On Saturday evening, after the Sabbath had concluded, she purchased spices because she hoped to anoint his dead body. And early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, she and the other women went to the tomb. Mary loved Jesus. And, therefore, it’s no surprise she responds the way she does when she finds the tomb to be empty.