The CC Broadcast: Recent Episodes
Christian Crusaders
Radio and internet ministry broadcasting Gospel-oriented, Christ-centered, Biblical Truth since 1936.
Each week, our pastors deliver a powerful message of hope and salvation based on the teachings of the Bible. Our program has been broadcast over the radio for over 80 years, and is now also reaching people via satellite and shortwave radio, and over the internet via our website (https://christiancrusaders.org/the-cc-broadcast) and through podcasting.
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Rock of Ages - Antrim Mennonite Choir
- Praise the King - Cindy Morgan
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
- Take My Life and Let It Be - Islington Baptist Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Sovereign Grace
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of My Heart - Randy Travis
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Shine on Us - Phillips, Craig, and Dean
- Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Deep the Father's Love for Us - Selah
- I've Got Joy - CeCe Winans
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy Spirit, Thou Art Welcome - Steven Moctezuma
- Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Rockwood Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy, Holy, Holy - Selah
- God Really Loves Us - David Crowder, Dante Bowe Maverick City Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Alan Jackson
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Casting Crowns
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Reawaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus Name - Matt Fouch
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic - Johnny Cash
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Way Maker - Integrity Music
- Prayer to the Holy Spirit - Francesca LaRosa
- Revive Us Again - Selah
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord the Almighty - Sovereign Grace
- Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God - Keith and Kristyn Getty
- Joy in the Journey - Michael Card
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Above All - Michael W. Smith
- What We Sow - Pure Fire Worship
- I've Got Joy - CeCe Winans
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! Praise Music
- Seek Ye First - Traditional
- Lord, Help Me Grow - Stanificient Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
- Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice
- God Helps Me Grow - Little Lights Faith
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today - The Tabernacle Choir
- Up From the Grave He Arose - Robert Lowry
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him (Majesty) - Chris Tomlin & Kari Jobe
- Take My Life and Let It Be - Reawaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Christ is Risen Indeed - Praise & Harmony Singers
- Living Hope - Praise & Harmony Singers
- Low In the Grave He Lay - The A Capella Singers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha Praise
- Come, Holy Spirit - Jeff Oreta
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord the Almighty - Sovereign Grace
- Creation Song - Fernando Ortega
- Because He Lives - Celtic Worship
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- In the Garden - Joel Jackson
- Protector - Kim Walker Smith
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Lift High the Cross - Crucifer Chet Valley Church
- The Lord's Praryer - Matt Maher
- The Lord's Prayer - Celine Dion and Jelly Roll
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- A Mighty Fortress is Our God - Steve Green
- Search Me O God - SATB Choir
- Jesus Strong and Kind - CityAlight
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord - Alter of Praise Men's Choir
- Joy in the Journey - Michael Card
- I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - Kathryn Scott
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Let Us Worship - Fernando Ortega
- The Love of God - Selah
- Don't Stop Praying - Matthew West
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Fount - Chris Rice
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Casting Crowns
- Come to the Father - Hillsong
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Chris Rice
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
- Nearer My God to Thee - Sounds Like Reign
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of My Heart - Randy Travis
- Come Ye Sinners - Fernando Ortega
- I Come to the Garden - Alan Jackson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - George Beverly Shea
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus - The Gaithers
- Christ Our Hope in Live and Death - Keith and Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Lord Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary - YouTube Below
- My Hope is in the Lord - Islington Baptist Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Be Thou My Vision - Selah
- Light of the World - We The Kingdom
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Four Hundred Years - Christ Church London
- Consider the Stars - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Hallelujah Chorus - Dan Vasc
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Light of the World - We the Kingdom
- Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee - Hymns of Grace
- Joy to the World - Casting Crowns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Long Expected Jesus - Chris Tomlin
- O Lord, You're Beautiful - Chris Tomlin
- Angels We Have Heard on High - For King and Country
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O Come, All You Unfaithful - Sovereign Grace Music
- What Child is This - Chris Tomlin
- O Come O Come Emmanuel - King and Country
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Give Thanks - Don Moen
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Word of God Speak - MercyMe
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Ye Thankful People - Chet Valley Churches
- We Gather Together - The Hymns Ensamble
- Holy Holy Holy - Audrey Assad
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Thank You Jesus for the Blood - Charity Gayle
- Holy Forever - Chris Tomlin
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Good to Give Thanks - Carolina Cobb
- Word of God Speak - MercyMe
- There is Love (Wedding Song) - Peter, Paul, & Mary
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- The Old Rugged Cross - Craig Wayne Boyd
- Psalm 23 - Phil Wickham and Tiffany Hudson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Good Good Father - Anthem Lights
- Wonderful Merciful Savior - Selah
- Only A Holy God - City Alight
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- I Need Thee Every Hour - BYU Vocal Point
- Refiner's Fire Vineyard Worship
- Praise You in the Storm - Casting Crowns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Jesus Shall Reign - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Jesus, Name Above All Names - Acapeldridge
- Above All - Michael W. Smith
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down - Courthouse Road Church
- When You Call - Bound By Grace
- The Love of God - ReAwaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Now is the Time to Worship - Brian Doerksen
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
- The Love of God - Selah
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O Worship the King - RBC Musicmen
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Reawaken Hymns
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- From Everlasting (Psalm 90) - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
- Shine on Us - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Fount - Chris Rice
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Reawaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Maranatha Praise Band
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Reawaken Hymns
- I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - Lydia Walker
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha Praise
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
- Lazarus - Wes King
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Because He Lives - Carrie Underwood
- Create in Me a Clean Heart - God's Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship
- (Redux) Because He Lives - Carrie Underwood
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise the King - Cindy Morgan
- Rock of Ages - Antrim Mennonite Choir
- Rise Up oh Men of God - Maranatha! Promise Keepers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Up from the Grave He Arose - Islington Baptist Choir
- Praise the King - Corey Voss
- Onward, Christian Soldiers - Joslin Grove Choral Society
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come to the Father - Hillsong
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Islington Baptist Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord - Sovereign Grace
- Just As I Am - Carrie Underwood
- I Surrender All - Worship Jesus at Home
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of my Heart - Randy Travis
- Shine on Us - Philips, Craig, & Dean
- Blessings - Laura Story
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Ye Sinners - Fernando Ortega
- Take My Life and Let it Be - Reawaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Rock of Ages - Chris Rice
- How Deep the Father's Love for Us - Selah
- Baptism - Randy Travis
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Psalm 133 - Brian Sauve
- Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Rockwood Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Alan Jackson
- In His Time - Maranatha Singers
- Take My Life - Reawaken Hymns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Revive Us Again - Selah
- Here I Am, Lord - John Michael Talbott
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Living Hope - Genavieve Linkowski
- Faithful Men - McCoy Family
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Above All - Michael W. Smith
- All to Jesus I Surrender - Robin Mark
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
- The Family Prayer Song - The Asidors
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Anthem Choir of the First Baptist Church and National Philharmonic Orchestra
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Matt Fouch
- Up from the Grave He Arose - Matt Lowry
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord - Randy Travis
- Crown Him/Majesty - Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe
- Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down - Promise Keepers Maranatha!
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice
- Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy Spirit, Thou Art Welcome - Steven Moctezuma
- Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God - Keith and Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Sovereign Grace
- Creation Song - Fernando Ortega
- Lamb of God - Twila Paris
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Lo in the Grave He Lay - the A Capella Company
- Because He Lives - Celtic Worship
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Be Thou My Vision - Choir of King's College
- Lift High the Cross - Crucifer Chet Valley Church
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- A Mighty Fortress - Steve Green
- Jesus, Strong and Kind - CityAlight
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord - Altar of Praise Men's Choir
- Joy in the Journey - Michael Card
- I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - Kathryn Scott
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Let us Worship - Fernando Ortega
- Jesus, Name Above All Names - Maranatha! Singers
- Search Me O God - SATB Choir
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice (Instrumental)
- The Great I Am - Phillips, Craig, and Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - George Beverly Shea
- By My Spirit - Leslie Phillips
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of my Heart - Randy Travis
- Come Ye SInner, Poor and Needy - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- What a Friend we Have in Jesus - Gaithers
- Unity Hymn - Mike Donehey
- The Great I Am - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- My Hope is in the Lord - Traditional
- Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Be Thou My Vision - Selah
- Hymn of Heaven - Phil Wickham
- House of the Lord - Phil Wickham
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Four Hundred Years - Christ Church London
- Consider the Stars - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Hallelujah Chorus - Dan Vasc (singing all 24 voices!)
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Light of the World - We the Kingdom
- Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - Hymns of Grace
- Joy to the World - Casting Crowns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O Come, All You Unfaithful - Sovereign Grace Music
- What Child is This? - Chris Tomlin
- O Come O Come Emmanuel - King & Country
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Glory in the Highest - Journey Worship Co.
- The First Noel - Earth, Wind, & Fire
- Join the Angels - Matthew West
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Angels from the Realms of Glory - Steven Curtis Chapman
- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - Chris Tomlin
- Christmas Hymn Medley/O Little Town of Bethlehem - Anthem Lights
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Good to Give Thanks (Psalm 92) - Caroline Cobb
- Thank You Jesus for the Blood - Charity Gayle
- Psalm 90 (Satisfy Us With Your Love) - Shane & Shane
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Old Rugged Cross - Craig Wayne Boyd
- Psalm 23 - Phil Wickham & Tiffany Hudson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Good, Good Father - Anthem Lights
- Wonderful, Merciful Savior - Selah
- Only A Holy God - City Alight
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- I Need Thee Every Hour - BYU Vocal Point
- Refiner's Fire - Vineyard Worship & Bryan Doerksen
- Praise You in This Storm - Casting Crowns
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Praise to Thee My God this Night - Wendell Kimbrough
- I Surrender All - For King & Country
- Psalm 90 - Shane & Shane
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - T4G Live II Sovereign Grace
- In the Garden - Willie Nelson
- God Will Provide a Lamb - Michael Card
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Sing, Sing, Sing - Wendell Kimbrough
- Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice
- Trust and Obey - Big Daddy Weave
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Like a Tree (Psalm 1) - Caroline Cobb
- Consider the Stars - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- O the Love of My Redeemer - Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Rock of Ages, Keep My Soul - Joe Mullins
- Love Lifted Me - Statler Brothers
- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms - Jimmy Stephens
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- In the Sweet By and By - Heirloom
- Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
- He Leadeth Me - Cluster Pluckers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Majestic Is Your Name - Sandi Patty
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
- Word of God Speak - Mercy Me
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Sweet Hour of Prayer - Alan Jackson
- Part the Waters/I Need Thee - Selah
- In the Garden - Blackwood Brothers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Leaning on the Everlasting Arms - Alan Jackon
- A Living Prayer - Alison Krauss
- He Lives - Alan Jackson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Just As I Am - Alan Jackson
- God Leads His Dear Children Along - Selah
- Halfway Up the Mountain - Tribute Quartet
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Blessed Be His Name - Jenny Phillips
- On the Authority - Gaither Vocal Band
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- They Word - Amy Grant
- Holy Holy Holy - Matt Maher
- Gratitude - Brandon Lake
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of My Heart - 7 Hills Worship
- On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand - McLean Bible Church
- Softly and Tenderly - Alan Jackson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy, Holy, Holy - Audrey Assad
- Holy Ground - Southern Gospel
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
- Softly and Tenderly - Randy Travis
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Creatures of Our God and King - Debbie Boone
- Softly and Tenderly - Randy Travis
- Wonderful, Merciful Savior - Selah
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- America the Beautiful - Alan Jackson
- God Bless the USA - Lee Greenwood & US Armed Forces Choir
- The Battle Hymn of the Republic - US Armed Forces
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Just As I Am - Carrie Underwood
- Before the Throne of God Above - Selah
- God of Our Fathers - The Gaithers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand - Phillips, Craig and Dean
- Before the Throne of God Above - Selah
- Blessings - Laura Story
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy, Holy, Holy - Selah
- How Deep the Father's Love - Selah
- Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Alan Jackson
- Gentle Healer - Casting Crowns
- Goodness of God - Jenn Johnson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
- He Will Hold Me Fast - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Blessings - Laura Story
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Revive Us Again - Selah
- Wonderful Merciful Savior - Selah
- Death Was Arrested - North Point Worship
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Alan Jackson
- In the Garden - Elvis Pressley
- Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Above All - Michael W. Smith
- Softly and Tenderly - Alan Jackson
- All to Jesus I Surrender - Robin Mark
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Amazing Grace - Dan Vasc
- How Great Thou Art - The Dutch Chorale
- Grace that is Greater - Sovereign Grace Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
- His Eye is On the Sparrow - Selah
- Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Matt Fouch
- Here I Am Lord - John Michael Talbot
- Faithful Men - The McCoy Family
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Open the Eyes of My Heart - Randy Travis
- For the Fruits of His Creation - Concordia Publishing House
- Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down - Maranatha! Singers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice
- Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down - Maranatha! Singers
- Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Amen Choir and London Philharmonic
- Up From the Grave He Arose - Sanctuary Choir, First Methodist Houston
- God of the Impossible - Lincoln Brewster
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Sovereign Grace Music
- Creation Song - Fernando Ortega
- Lamb of God - Twila Paris
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Various Artists
- Jesus Paid it All - New Vision Worship
- Revive Us, Oh Lord - Steve Green
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Be Ye Glad - Glad
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
- In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- A Mighty Fortress is our God - Bob Kauflin
- Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness - Darby Hughes
- Jesus, Strong and Kind - CityAlight
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord - Altar of Praise Men's Choir
- God, All Nature Sings Thy Glory - Eric Graef
- Search Me, O God - Heather Sorenson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - Anthem Lights
- There is Love - Peter, Paul, & Mary
- Between the Two of Them - Alabama
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Fount - Chase Rice
- Unity Hymn - Mike Donehey
- The Great I Am - Philips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Great Thou Art - George Beverly Shea
- Unashamed - Brendan Curran
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- We've a Story to Tell to the Nations - Dallas Methodist Choir
- Open the Eyes of My Heart - Randy Travis
- The Gospel - Ryan Stevenson
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus - Bill & Gloria Gather
- Unity Hymn - Mike Donehey
- Great I Am - Philips, Craig, & Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Our Hope is in the Lord - Daniel Schulte
- We Will Glorify - Twila Paris
- Revive Us, O Lord - Steve Green
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- For the Beauty of the Earth - 32 Great Hymns of Faith Performers
- Lord Be Glorified - The Maranatha Singers
- Take my Life and Let it Be - Nathan Drake
Pastor Boettger's first service as the CC Broadcast's Primary Radio Preacher, following the retirement of Pastor Steve Kramer
Rev. Kramer's Final Service with the CC Broadcast!
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Joy to the World - Christmas Carols
- For Unto Us a Child is Born - Billy Ray Hearn
- O Little Town of Bethlehem - The Oxford Trinity Choir
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - The Tabernacle Choir
- Rejoice Rejoice Believers - St. Olaf Choir
- My Faith Has Found a Resting Place - Don Moen
- Beautiful Savior - St. Olaf Choral Ensamble
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - Fernando Ortega
- On Jordan's Banks the Baptist's Cry - The Hymnal Project
- Nothing But the Blood - Dallas Christian Adult Choir
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- O Come O Come Emmanuel - Bebo Norman
- Joy to the World - Christmas Carols
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Ye Thankful People Come - Ben Everson
- Wonderful Merciful Savior - Selah
- Holy, Holy, Holy - Selah
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- The Solid Rock - Glen Ellyn Chorale
- Blessed Assurance - Harding University Concert Choir
- In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristyn Getty & Alison Krauss
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- To God be the Glory - Harding University Choir
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Michael W. Smith
- Borning Cry - Rev. Steve Kramer
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Glen Ellyn Chorale
- I Love Thy Kingdom - Living Stream Ministries
- O Master, Let me Walk with Thee - Susan Mack and Ellen Hanna
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Lifeway Worship
- Softly and Tenderly - Mark Lowry
- To God be the Glory - Caleb and Kelsey
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Creatures of Our God - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Joyful, Joyful - Collin Raye
- Be Thou My Vision - Audrey Assad
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- This is My Father's World - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
- Be Thou My Vision - Fernando Ortega
- Spirit of God, Descent Upon my Heart - The London Fox Singers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O God Our Help in Ages Past - London Sinfonia
- God of Grace and God of Glory - Concordia Publishing
- The Lord's Prayer - Anne Murray
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Immortal, Invisible - Choral Octavo
- Speak, O Lord - Gettys
- Be Thou My Vision - Glen Ellyn Chorale
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
- God Will Make a Way - Don Moen
- We Will Glorify - Sovereign Grace Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Jesus Loves Me - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
- What a Friend we Have in Jesus - Various
- The Servant Song - David Haas
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with many Crowns - Maranatha Praise Band
- Grace that is Greater - Jami Smith
- Amazing Grace - Wintley Phipps
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with many Crowns - Maranatha Praise Band
- Grace that is Greater - Jami Smith
- Amazing Grace - Wintley Phipps
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Now Thank We All Our God - The Glen Ellyn Chorale
- Praise to the Lord - Fernando Ortega
- Lord of All Hopefulness - Jan Struther & Randall DeBruyn
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come to the Table - Michael Card
- Just As I Am - Carrie Underwood
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Break Thou the Bread of Life - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
- How Great Thou Art - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
- This Little Light - The Sweet Inspirations
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- The Church's One Foundation - Rex Paul
- Lord, I Want to Be a Christian - Joslin Grove Choral Society
- Lead On, O King Eternal - LifeWay Worship
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power - Maranatha! Praise Band
- It Is Well With My Soul - Harding University Concert Choir
- Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service - OCP Session Choir
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Firm a Foundation - Fernando Ortega
- Holy Bible, Book Divine - Lauren Bowers
- Thy Word - Amy Grant
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Thou Font of Every Blessing
- Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart
- Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- There's a Wideness in God's Mercy
- Great is Thy Faithfulness
- O God of Mercy, God of Light
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Joy to the World
- My Hope is Built on Nothing Less - Deborah Liv Johnson
- Be Thou My Vision - Michael Card
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- When Morning Guilds the Skies - Nashville Liberty Chorale
- Hallelujah! What a Savior - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee - Susan Mack and Ellen Hanna
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O God of Mine - Rita Springer
- Here I am Lord - John Michael Talbot
- Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Phillips, Craig, and Dean
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy, Holy, Holy - The London Fox Singers
- Come Ye Disconsolate - Harding University Concert Choir
- Pass Me Not - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- This Is My Father's World - Dallas Christian Adult Choir
- Rock of Ages - Fernando Ortega
- Lord, I Need You - The ZOE Group
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Rejoice the Lord is King - The London Fox Singers
- O Jesus I Have Promised - Dallas Christian Adult Choir
- Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus - The Celebration Choir
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Thou Almighty/Praise to the Lord - Maranatha Praise Band
- Before the Throne of God Above - Selah
- Be Thou My Vision - Ginny Owens
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- I Love to Tell the Story - John Jones
- O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee - Susan Mack
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O For a Thousand Tongues - Studio Musicians
- Lord, I want to Be a Christian - Joslin Grove Chorale
- Lift High the Cross - James Abbington
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Jesus Shall Reign - Church of Christ Gospel Choir
- Children of the Heavenly Father - Altar of Praise Chorale
- The Church's One Foundation - Rex Paul
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Matt Fouch
- The Gentle Healer - Selah
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Glen Ellyn Chorale
- I Know that My Redeemer Lives - Bob Bennett
- Lead On, O King Eternal - LifeWay Worship
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come, Christians Join to Sing - The Joslin Grove Choir
- In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- I'll Fly Away - Michael W. Smith
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Jesus Christ is Risen Today - Dan Schutte
- He Lives! - Dallas Christian Adult Choir
- Thins Is the Glory - Hymn Singers
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Glory, Laud, and Honor - Mike Curb Congregation
- When I survey the Wondrous Cross - London Philharmonic Choir
- How Deep the Father's Love for Us - Selah
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord - Michael Card
- His Name is Wonderful - I Love You Lord Performers
- I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - John Jones
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- He Leadeth Me - The Scottish Festival Singers
- The King of Love My Shepherd Is - Michael Card
- Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Immortal, Invisible - Choral Octavo
- Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart - Joslin Grove Choral Society
- Speak, O Lord - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee - Collin Raye
- Come, Thou Fount - Michael Card
- Amazing Grace - The Little Series
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him with Many Crowns - Matt Fouch
- Rock of Ages - New Found Road
- In Christ Alone - Duly Noted
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O Worship the King - The Nashville String Machine
- Blessed Assurance - Fisk Jubilee Singers
- His Eye is On the Sparrow - Rev. Steve Kramer
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Come Thou Almighty King - Maranatha! Promise Band
- Trust And Obey - John Jones
- Facing a Task Unfinished - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- The Solid Rock - The Glen Ellyn Chorale
- Softly and Tenderly - Sara Groves
- I Surrender All - John Jones
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Holy, Holy, Holy - Sovereign Grace & Bob Kauflin
- Wonderful, Merciful Savior - Selah
- All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Matt Fouch
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- How Firm a Foundation - Fernando Ortega
- And the Glory of the Lord - Billy Ray Hearn & Tom Fettke
- Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Adam Paul Williams
- Shine, Jesus Shine - Hallal Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- A Mighty Fortress - Maranatha! Praise Band
- Jesus Loves Me - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
- He Will Hold Me Fast - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Songs of Thankfulness and Praise - OCP Session Choir
- Beautiful Savior - Deborah Liv Johnson
- Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O God, Our Help in Ages Past - London Sinfonia
- For Unto Us a Child is Born - Billy Ray Hearn & Tom Fettke
- Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! Music
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Angels from the Realms of Glory - Point of Grace
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Perry Como
- O Little Town of Bethlehem - Robin Harper
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Joy to the World - Various
- O Come All Ye Faithful - Various
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Bebo Norman
- The King Shall Come - OCP Session Choir
- They'll Know We're Christians By Our Love - Woody & Vonnie Wright
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- All Hail the Power - Keith & Kristyn Getty
- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - Scott Krippayne
- This Little Light - The Sweet Inspirations
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Together for the Gospel
- All Creatures of Our God and King - Debby Boone
- Give Thanks - Don Moen
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- Crown Him With Many Crowns - Glen Ellyn Chorale
- Majesty - Bill & Gloria Gaither
- Jesus Shall Reign - Keith & Kristyn Getty
Scripture
Transcript
Music:
- A Mighty Fortress - Studio Musicians
- Be Thou My Vision - Michael Card
- This is My Father's World - Dallas Christian Adult Choir
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20%3A27-40&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221106.pdf (Transcript) Music: Redeemed - Harding University Concert Choir I Know that My Redeemer Lives - Bob Bennett Blessed Assurance - Harding University Concert Choir
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8%3A27-38&version=NRSVUE (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221030.pdf (Transcript) Music: We Bow Down - Twila Paris More Love to Thee - Fernando Ortega All to Jesus I Surrender - Robin Mark
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+4%3A6-8%2C16-18&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221023.pdf (Transcript) Music: The Solid Rock - The Glen Ellyn Chorale Give Me Jesus - Collin Raye I'll Fly Away - Michael W. Smith
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+3%3A12-4%3A5&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221016.pdf (Transcript) Music: Break Thou the Bread of Life - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir Speak, O Lord - Keith & Kristyn Getty I love to Tell the Story - John Jones
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A19-26&version=NRSVUE (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221009.pdf (Transcript) Music: O God Our Help in Ages Past - London Sinfonia & the London Fox Singers When All Thy Mercies - The ZOE Group Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! Music
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17%3A5-10&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20221002.pdf (Transcript) Music: How Firm a Foundation - Fernando Ortega When I Survey - London Sinfonia Trust and Obey - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+2%3A4-6%2C13&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220925.pdf (Transcript) Music: We Will Glorify the Lord - Twila Paris In My Life, Lord - Maranatha Praise Singers Seek Ye First - Maranatha Praise Singers
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A1-3&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220918.pdf (Transcript) Music: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Fernando Ortega Joyful, Joyful - Collin Raye We Give Thee But Thine Own
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A1-10&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220911.pdf (Transcript) Music: Christ for the World We Sing - The Glen Ellyn Chorale Our Great Savior - Don Moen Amazing Grace - The Little Series
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+14%3A25-33&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220904.pdf (Transcript) Music: When Morning Gilds the Skies - Nashville Liberty Chorale O Jesus I Have Promised - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir Take My Life - Vineyard Music
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A16-18&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220828.pdf (Transcript) Music: Before the Throne of God Above - Selah Open the Eyes of My Heart - Randy Travis Be Thou My Vision - Ginny Owens
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A54-13%3A9&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220821.pdf (Transcript) Music: Crown Him with Many Crowns - Glen Ellyn Chorale Come Ye Sinners - Scott Krippayne Jesus Paid It All - Sovereign Grace Music & Bob Kauflin
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A49-53&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220814.pdf (Transcript) Music: O For a Thousand Tongues - Studio Musicians The Church's One Foundation - Rex Paul Lift High the Cross - James Abbington
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A35-40&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220807.pdf (Transcript) Music: How Great Thou Art - Dallas Christian Adult Choir We're Marching to Zion - Ray Walker & Dallas Christian Adult Choir Be Thou My Vision - Selah
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+16%3A7%3B+Romans+12%3A2&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220731.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come Thou Almighty King - Maranatha! Praise Band Fairest Lord Jesus - Sara Groves Holy, Holy, Holy - Anthem Lights
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-13&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220724.pdf (Transcript) Music: This is My Father's World - Dallas Christian Adult Choir Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! What a Friend We Have in Jesus - The Martins
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A38-42&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220717.pdf (Transcript) Music: How Firm a Foundation - Fernando Ortega Just a Closer Walk With Thee - The Festival Choir Thy Word - Amy Grant
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220710.pdf (Transcript) Music: The Solid Rock - The Glen Ellyn Chorale Lord, I Want to Be a Christian - Joslin Grove Chorus This Little Light - Wintley Phipps
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A26-39&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220703.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Keith & Kristyn Getty Battle Hymn of the Republic - Jim Nabors I'm So Glad - Marty Nystrom
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A18-21%3B+Galatians+5%3A13%3B+2+Corinthians+3%3A17&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220626.pdf (Transcript) Music: God of Our Fathers - Shane McConnell There is a Redeemer - Sara Groves O God Our Help in Ages past - Don Moen Cry for Freedom - Taunia
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A40-56&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220619.pdf (Transcript) Music: Oh, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing - Studio Musicians Give Me Jesus - Collin Raye I Surrender All - John Jones
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A12-15&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220612.pdf (Transcript) Music: Holy, Holy, Holy - The London Fox Singers Wonderful, Merciful Savior - Michael W. Smith There is a Redeemer - Selah
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+7%3A37-39&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220605.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come Thou Almighty King - Maranatha! Promise Singers Holy Spirit - Keith & Kristyn Getty Spirit of the Living God - Harding University Concert Choir
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A1-4%3B+Isaiah+40%3A31&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220529.pdf (Transcript) Music: Blessed Assurance - Alan Jackson Be Thou My Vision - 4Him God's Own Fool - Michael Card
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A22-27&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220522.pdf (Transcript) Music: May Jesus Christ be Praised - Nashville Liberty Chorale In the Garden - John Jones It Is Well With My Soul - Harding University Concert Choir
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+21%3A1-6&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220515.pdf (Transcript) Music: The Solid Rock - The Glen Ellyn Chorale I'll Fly Away - Michael W. Smith Soon and Very Soon - Andraé Crouch
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A22-33&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220508.pdf (Transcript) Music: Crown Him with Many Crowns - Clen Ellyn Chorale The King of Love My Shepherd Is - Michael Card He Will Hold Me Fast - Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A1-19&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220220.pdf (Transcript) Music: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - Collin Raye He Lives - Dallas Christian Adult Choir Amazing Grace - The Little Series
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A23-24%3B+Acts+1%3A3-5&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220220.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Creatures of Our God and King - Mormon Tabernacle Choir Praise the King - Lighthouse Choir and Orchestra I Have Decided - Amy Grant
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+24%3A1-12&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220417.pdf (Transcript) Music: Jesus Christ is Risen Today - Dan Schutte Messiah Hallelujah Chorus - London Philharmonic Orchestra Thine is the Glory - Hymn Singers
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220410.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Glory, Laud, and Honor - The London Fox Singers Sweet Hour of Prayer - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir A Mighty Fortress is Our God - Chris Rice
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220403.pdf (Transcript) Music: What a Friend We Have in Jesus - Ever Performers My God How Wonderful Thou Art - Deborah Liv Johnson The Lord's Prayer - Anne Murray
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220327.pdf (Transcript) Music: Holy, Holy, Holy - Audrey Assad Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Alan Jackson In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220320.pdf (Transcript) Music: A Mighty Fortress - Maranatha! Praise Band Speak, O Lord - Keith & Kristyn Getty Take My Life - Kareena Dainty
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220313.pdf (Transcript) Music: Holy, Holy, Holy - James Abbington Holy God We Praise Thy Name - Michael Card The Lord's Prayer - Philip Webb
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+11%3A1-4&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220306.pdf (Transcript) Music: This is My Father's World - Dallas Christian Adult's Choir Be Thou My Vision - Michael Card Children of the Heavenly Father - Deborah Liv Johnson
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+4%3A1-3%3B+6%3A1%3B+14%3A1-2%2C4%3B+2+Chronicles+7%3A14&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220227.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Fernando Ortega Open My Eyes - Jesse Manibusan Softly and Tenderly - Randy Travis
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A28-36&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220220.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Hail the Power - Keith & Kristyn Getty Break Thou the Bread of Life - Steven Anderson Tis So Sweet - Casting Crowns
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5%3A1-11&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220213.pdf (Transcript) Music: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - 2nd Chapter of Acts I Love to Tell the Story - John Jones This Little Light - The Sweet Inspirations
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A31-37&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220206.pdf (Transcript) Music: O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing - Studio Musicians Lead On, O King Eternal - LifeWay Worship In Christ Alone - The ZOE Group
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+33%3A14-17&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220130.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Scott Krippayne Spirit of the Living God - The Trinity Singers Hymn of the Holy Spirit - Pat Barrett
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A16-30&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220123.pdf (Transcript) Music: May Jesus Christ be Praised - Nashville Liberty Chorale Give Me Jesus - Fernando Ortega Come Ye Sinners - Keith & Kristyn Getty
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2%3A1-11&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220116.pdf (Transcript) Music Crown Him with Many Crowns - Maranatha! Praise Band And the Glory of the Lord - Billy Ray Hearn & Tom Fettke Joy to the World - Whitley Phipps
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+3%3A15-17%3B21-22&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20220109.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Hail the Power - Maranatha! Praise Band Beautiful Savior - St. Olaf Choral Ensemble In Christ Alone - The ZOE Group
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A22-35&version=ESV (Scripture) Transcript Music: Go Tell It on the Mountain - Marvin Matthews And the Glory of the Lord - Billy Ray Hearn & Tom Fettke Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! Praise Band
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A16-21&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211226.pdf (Transcript) Music: O Come, All Ye Faithful - Nat "King" Cole Mary, Did You Know? - Gaither Vocal Band Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - Paul Baloche
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+2%3A8-14&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211219.pdf (Transcript) Music: O Come, All Ye Faithful - Various Angels We Have Heard on High - Galway Christmas Singers Joy to the World - Various
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A46-55&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211212.pdf (Transcript) Music: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - Collin Raye How Great Thou Art - Collin Raye Joy to the World - Various
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A67-79&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211205.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus - Fernando Ortega O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Bebo Norman There is a Redeemer - Selah
Scripture: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17%3A11-19&version=ESV (Luke 17:11-19) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thessalonians+5%3A16-18&version=ESV (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211128.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come Ye Thankful People Come - Ben Everson Give Thanks - Maranatha Praise Band Let All Things Now Living - Michael Card
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+100&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211121.pdf (Transcript) Music: Now Thank We All Our God - The Glen Ellyn Chorale All People that on Earth do Dwell - The Martins Great is Thy Faithfulness - Maranatha! Praise Band
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A11-25&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211114.pdf (Transcript) Music: When I Survey the Wonderous Cross - Various My Hope is Built on Nothing Less - Deborah Liv Johnson The Old Rugged Cross - Chris Rice
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A41-44&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211107.pdf (Transcript) Music: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Keith & Kristyn Getty I Surrender All - John Jones Take My Life - Caleb & Kelsey
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4%3A18-20&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211031.pdf (Transcript) Music: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus - Kathryn Scott Faithful Men - McCoy Family Singers Holy Holy Holy - Selah
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A46-52&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211024.pdf (Transcript) Music: Holy Holy Holy - Various Pass Me Not - Fernando Ortega When All Thy Mercies - Fernando Ortega
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A32-45&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211017.pdf (Transcript) Music: Come Thou Fount - Michael Card Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus - Audrey Assad O Master Let Me Walk with Thee - Susan Mack & Ellen Hanna
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A17-31&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211010.pdf (Transcript) Music O For a Thousand Tongues - Studio Musicians Give Me Jesus - Collin Raye Be Thou My Vision - Michael Card
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A13-16&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20211003.pdf (Transcript) Music: Jesus Loves Me - Dallas Christian Adult Concert Choir I Need Thee Every Hour - The Glen Ellyn Chorale My Faith has Found a Resting Place - Don Moen
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A28-38&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210926.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9%3A30-37&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210919.pdf (Transcript) Music: Crown Him with Many Crowns - Maranatha! Praise Band Lord, I Want to be a Christian - Joslin Grove Choral Society O Master Let Me Walk with Thee - Amy Grant
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+8%3A27-38&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210912.pdf (Transcript) Music: Lift High the Cross - Alleluia Chorus There is a Redeemer - Selah Take My Life and Let it Be - Kareena Dainty
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A11-18&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210905.pdf (Transcript) Music: The Solid Rock - The Glen Ellyn Chorale Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - Casting Crowns The Good Shepherd - Fernando Ortega
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6%3A25-34&version=NIV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210829.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah+1%3A1-3&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210822.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+19%3A14-19&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210815.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+6%3A1-89&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210808.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A1-17&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210801.pdf (Transcript)
Rev. Lee Laaveg's final message before retirement. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+1%3A1-9&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210725.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+15%3A22-16%3A30&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210718.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+2%3A23-4%3A17&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210711.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+45%3A1-11&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210704.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+5%3A22-42&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210627.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+12%3A1-7&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210620.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2%3A15-17%3B+3%3A1-7&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210613.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+1%3A1-2%3A4&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210606.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1%3A1-16&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210530.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+2&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210523.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+15%3A18-16%3A4&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210516.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+15%3A9-17&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210509.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+15%3A1-8&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210502.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+10%3A7-11&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210425.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A36-53&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210418.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+20%3A19-23&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210411.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A42-16%3A8&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210404.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+15%3A16-39&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210328.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+15%3A1-20&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210321.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+14%3A66-72&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210314.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A53-65&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210307.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+14%3A27-50&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210228.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+14%3A12-25&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210221.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A29-45&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210214.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A21-28&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210207.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+139%3A13-18&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210131.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A14-20&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210124.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A12-13&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210117.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A9-11&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210110.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1%3A1-14&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20210103.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+5%3A2-5&version=NASB1995 (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201227.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+1%3A26-38&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201220.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1%3A1-9&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201213.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+1%3A1-8&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201206.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thessalonians+1%3A1-10&version=NASB (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201129.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+25%3A31-46&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201122.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+25%3A14-30&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201115.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+25%3A1-13&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201108.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+23%3A1-12&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201101.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1%3A9-11&version=NASB (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201025.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+22%3A15-21&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201018.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+22%3A1-14&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201011.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+20%3A17-28&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20201004.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+39&version=NASB (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200927.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+20%3A1-16&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200920.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+18%3A21-35&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200913.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A15-20&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200906.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+16%3A21-28&version=NASB (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200830.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+16%3A13-20&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200823.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+15%3A21-28&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200816.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=maTThew+14%3A22-33&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200809.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+14%3A13-21&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200802.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+corinthians+5%3A14-21&version=NASB (Scripture 1) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+9%3A1-19&version=NASB (Scripture 2) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200726.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+44%3A+6-8&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200719.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+4%3A21-23&version=NRSV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200712.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+4%3A14-20&version=ESV (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200705.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+24%3A13-27&version=NASB (Scripture) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200628.pdf (Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+4%3A10-13&version=ESV (Philippians 4:10-13) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200621.pdf (Sermon Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+4%3A6-9&version=ESV (Philippians 4:6-9) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200614.pdf (Sermon Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+4%3A2-5&version=ESV (Philippians 4:2-5) https://storage.snappages.site/WZDBWW/assets/files/ENG_CCR_20200607.pdf (Sermon Transcript)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+2%3A1-21&version=NASB (Acts 2:1-21) Dear friends: The flow of the Spirit comes to every person's heart with a strong current of love from God. What a gift God has given us in the Holy Spirit, the third persona of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is God's gift for us to receive, and then for that Spirit to transform us. If you went to northern Minnesota, you might view the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River in Itasca State Park. It has a meager beginning, but as it steadily grows and swells, it becomes a powerful, rushing, life-giving river. It contains a lot of life: plants, fish… It sustains life for the animals that live in proximity to it, for the crops that grow along it, for the towns along the Mississippi. There are dams that harness the power of the flow of the current for electricity. Boats zoom across the surface; so do little water bugs. Children swim in the Mississippi River. It starts in a small, insignificant flow, but grows until it ends with a wide mouth, down by the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana, mingling with the sea in a unity. At Pentecost, God fulfilled his prophecies and promises by pouring out His Holy Spirit upon all people. Gentle in power but awesome and strength, God's spirit initiates new life. God's spirit gives us life, buoys us up, sustains our life, and ultimately carries us back to Himself. Jesus, you remember said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” In one of T.S. Elliott's writings, he wrote, “The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and to know the place for the first time.” All of life begins and ends with the Lord our God, and God's desire is that we know Him, that we love Him and trust Him. So the Spirit flows from the heart of God to empower that love relationship. The spirit still flows today. Do you feel it? Acts 17 says, “In Him, we live and move and have our being.” So just before Christ's ascension, he instructed his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promised gift of the Spirit: the outpouring of His powerful presence poured into the heart of every believer. They were gathered together in the upper room, surrounded by others who, like you, believe that Jesus is God's son. That He was crucified for the sins of the world, but raised from the dead to give us new life. He ascended into Heaven, and He promised that He'd come again. Then just think of it: we can hear the rush of a mighty wind, like a freight train. And all the people around us begin to glow as if a flame of light dances on their heads, and everyone begins to speak of the great things of God in languages that we've never learned. So the Spirit flows miraculously, first to speak the mighty deeds of God, and they hear the works of God in a miracle. I read this week an excerpt from a portion of a book written by Annabel Stehli called “The Sound of a Miracle”. It is the story of her daughter Georgie, who from birth and on had outbursts of autistic behavior. She was withdrawn, uncommunicative, she would disrupt things. She was behind in learning, emotionally flat. Georgie, for years, had special effort to bring her out of this trouble: multitude of institutions, countless doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, special schools, tutors, all with very limited success. And then it was discovered that she was oversensitive in hearing. There were certain frequencies of sound waves that caused her terror or were very painful. Georgie could hear street noises from a block away, toilets flushing in another part of a large apartment building, blood rushing in her veins, oceans, almost like tidal wave after tidal wave, and a rain storm sounded like a machine gun attack. Then Dr. [Guy] Berard of France, who had diagnosed her problem, assisted in correcting her hearing, removing the oversensitivity. And Georgie’s life was changed forever. Sinners in our world have exactly the opposite problem. We are desensitized...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+3%3A17-4%3A1&version=ESV (Philippians 3:17-4:1) Dear friends: When George Shultz was Secretary of State during Ronald Reagan's administration, he kept a large globe in his office. When newly-appointed ambassadors had an interview with him and when ambassadors returning from their posts for their first visit with him were leaving his office, he would test them. He would say, “You have to go over to my globe and prove to me that you can identify your country.” They would go over, spin the globe, and put their finger on the country to which they were sent. When Shultz’ old friend, and former Senate Majority Leader, Mike Mansfield was appointed ambassador to Japan, even he was put to test. This time, however, Ambassador Mansfield spun the globe and put his hand on the United States, and he said “That's my country.” Years later, in 1993, Shultz related the story to Brian Lamb on C-SPAN's Book Notes, and he said “You know, I’ve told that story subsequently to all the ambassadors going out, and I say to them, ‘Never forget: you’re over there in that country, but your country is the United States. You're there to represent us take care of our interests, and never forget it. You're representing the best country in the world.’” We get some instruction like that today from the apostle Paul in today's passage. As a person living the Jesus life in this world, how is one to conduct himself or herself as a citizen of Heaven, or as an “ambassador for Christ,” as Paul describes Jesus followers in another letter? Well, Paul relates to us three things today. The first thing he says is, “Follow my lead.” He says, “Brothers and sisters, imitate me, my conduct, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” He’s saying “follow our pattern,” (Timothy and Paul’s). He’s not claiming superiority here and he’s not being egotistical about himself, he’s just mentoring them in order to help them mature all the more into effective disciples of Jesus. That's how the rabbis and teachers taught in those days. “Watch me, do when I do,” they’d say. Paul understood this principle I came across in a leadership magazine a while back: “we teach what we know, we reproduce what we are.” In this case Paul is saying, like he said to another congregation called the Corinthians, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” Paul's life was that of God’s obedient servant – walking in the footsteps of Jesus with humility, sacrificial love, and obedience to God's commands. And Paul is saying “So keep your eyes on me and on those who are mature in the faith, who are ‘walking the talk.’” Now, for me personally, I can't help but thinking about Pastor Homer Larsen, my predecessor, who was like that for me: instructing me and modeling for me along the way what it meant to be an ambassador for Christ and a preacher of the gospel. He was such a blessing in my life. Howard Hendricks, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, wrote in his book for Promise Keepers entitled Men of Integrity, this wonderful little statement. He said, Every man should seek to have three individuals in his life: a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy. First, a Paul: and older man who's willing to mentor you, to build into your life. Not someone who's smarter or more gifted than you, but somebody who's been down the road; somebody willing to share his strengths and weaknesses, everything he’s learned in the laboratory of life; somebody whose faith you'll want to imitate. And you need a Barnabas: a brother, someone who loves you but is not impressed by you, who can hold you accountable. And then you need a Timothy: a younger man into whose life you’re building. Here's Paul, he is the quintessential mentor to Timothy, building into life of his protégé, affirming, encouraging, teaching, correcting, directing, and praying; three important relationships for any Christian. We need a “Paul.” The second...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+3%3A12-16&version=ESV (Philippians 3:12-16) Dear friends: As we enter the season of spring, some people’s thoughts turn to the field of athletics. It’s usually track season this time of year. It’s fun to watch the jumpers and the shot putters and the javelin throwers do their thing, but the events that I especially enjoy watching are the running events. Whether it's the hundred-yard dash or the long-distance running, I find it very exciting to watch these athletes pushing themselves and straining to put in their best run. Well the apostle Paul takes us to the track in today's passage as he describes his life with Jesus. He uses running and track terms to describe that life. Paul obviously liked athletics, because he refers to them in some of his other letters as well – uses them as illustrations. Let me quickly set this portion of text up for us before we “take a run” through it. Prior to these verses Paul has written about: since he met Jesus in his conversion, he has set aside counting on personal religious achievements to make himself right with God. He's let go of those spiritual trophies he built his life upon in order to receive the righteousness and rescue that only Jesus Christ can give a person. He also testified that he wants to spend the rest of his days knowing and serving Jesus and His kingdom cause. His desire is to know the power of Christ's resurrection and his own and to share in his suffering, and he looks forward to standing with Jesus on the great day of resurrection, the grand finale. Now, in our verses for today, Paul continues this line of thought with this statement: “not that I've already obtained these things,” (meaning received), the resurrection of the dead – resurrection day hasn't arrived yet – or “not that I'm already perfect,” (and perfect actually means “maturity” here), “but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” Paul is saying “I know I have not arrived at the resurrection, or to full maturity, in my relationship with Jesus, or in my serving Him effectively.” I find this to be a humble, realistic critique of one's life. I haven’t arrived, I'm still on the way. And then Paul says again, for emphasis to the folks, “Brothers and sisters, I don't consider that I made it on my own.” It's his way of modeling for them the right attitude, he’s emphasizing something here: If I, your teacher, spiritual leader, pastor, one you respect and looked up to, think this way about myself, then you should adopt the same perspective of yourself. Stay away from thinking of yourself as having “spiritually arrived”. That's nothing but arrogance and it’s prideful and dangerous to your spiritual health. Remember that pride does come before a fall. Friend, the fact is we never will arrive at full maturity until we’re standing with Jesus on resurrection day. Like the crops in the field, we’re always ripening for the great harvest to come. Paul says now, “Though I haven’t arrived, I press on to make it my own.” Now, this is runners’ language. The image given to us is that of a runner who's pressing on, pressing forward, to complete his or her race. This is not a tepid, passive, halfhearted Christianity that Paul's describing for us here. This is an all-out run. The seasoned athlete knows that the race isn't won or lost until the end has been reached, so she keeps running. I remember, earlier on in my adult life, I ran a couple of marathons myself. I found each one to be very tiring and challenging, and even grueling at certain moments, but I kept pushing ahead because I was determined to get to that finish line. Even when I was hardly able to put one foot in front of another, I pressed on until 26.3 miles were behind me. That's the imagery in this statement of Paul’s, as he talks about “pressing on” in the Christian life. Paul goes on to say that as he keeps running to complete his race of faith with Jesus, he...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3%3A1-11&version=ESV (Philippians 3:1-11) Dear friends: We are confronted with so much death in the news these days with this Covid-19 pandemic. We see death counts on the news, we hear tragic stories from the hospitals and interviews with people of lost loved ones. And all of this can cause and uneasiness deep within. I was talking with a friend the other day, he said watching all of this made her realize that, “I can die sooner than I thought I would.” People wonder, “what if I get this virus and I die, what will become of me?” And according to the experts that could happen to any one of us. With that in mind, I would ask you to consider this personal question: are you at a place where you know for certain that if you died today you would go to Heaven? Some people might respond, “Well I honestly don't know, I’m not sure anybody can know that for sure.” Others might say that they hope so because they're trying to live a good, moral life, but they're not really sure what’s good enough so they are hoping God “grades on a curve”. Well, our text today addresses this question for us. The opening statement of chapter 3 actually expresses a concern for our spiritual safety. Let’s look at it again – Paul writes, “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.” This statement frames the whole of chapter 3: rejoice in the Lord, in the Lord alone, in the Lord Jesus and what He’s done for you. Now, why would Paul go out of his way to remind them of this? He tells us: because it's safe for you. There are alternatives to that, you know. I can rejoice and myself, my accomplishments, my abilities, my own spirituality, my goodness, my morality. Paul reminds us, though, that to keep your eyes on Jesus is the way to go. Rejoice in Him and Him alone, especially when it comes to eternal matters. Salvation safety is to be found only in Christ alone, because I want you to be safe in Christ. Here's a fact: there are people, even today, who will tell you other things, wrong things. It's good to beware of them. They may come off as experts and be likable and impress you with their thinking, but they can be dangerous for your spiritual health. Remember when the cigarette companies were forced to put warning labels on cigarette packages, alerting people that smoking can be dangerous to your health? Well, there are some people who need a label attached to them; their thinking can be dangerous to your spiritual health, and if you buy into what they tell you, it can be deadly for you. You see, theology and doctrine really matter. So Paul proceeds to give us a heads up about dangerous people who could come in and wreck your life with dangerous teachings. That was the concern for the Philippians – he gives these people that he is concerned about coming in a label. He says look out for these people they’re like dogs. They’re evildoers, they’re mutilators of the flesh with circumcision on the brain. What they teach may sound right in your ears, but beware of them. What comes from their mouths is dangerous to your spiritual health and salvation. So, who are these people Paul's talking about? It seems that there were some Jewish Christians, who were referred to as Judaizers, who were coming into churches after Paul would leave the community and say that Jesus is nice and what He did on the cross is great, but there's still more for you to do than simply trust in Him. For instance, if you’re non-Jew you needed to some things like get circumcised and followed the other Jewish practices – dietary laws and so on. Then you'll be a bona fide, saved Christian, and in a right relationship with God. Obviously, these people were very convincing in their arguments and caused all sorts of spiritual dilemmas in the church. So Paul kicks out after them in his letter to the Galatians; you really get it there. Paul had seen the good news...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A19-30&version=ESV (Philippians 2:19-30) Uncertainty in many areas is all but guaranteed in this life. Look to Jesus in uncertainty, who provides comfort and support. He sends his Holy Spirit, but also often works through others like Timothy and Epaphroditus supported the Apostle Paul.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46&version=NASB (Psalm 46) In this historic time in our world of battling a global pandemic, many of us are living with a great amount of fear and anxiety. But just like the storm that filled the disciples with fear, God was not surprised by this pandemic. In words that still ring true today, Pastor Laaveg relates the words of Psalm 46, that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+2%3A12-18&version=ESV (Philippians 2:12-18) We have been saved through faith in Christ. Our natural response to that free gift should show in our actions, as we work out from the gratitude of what God has done for us. Our attitudes about ourselves and others should be what one would expect from children of God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+28%3A+1-10&version=ESV (Matthew 28: 1-10) The true story of the resurrection of Christ from the dead on Easter is earthshaking news that eclipses anything else happening in the world, today or ever. What will you do with this great news?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+2%3A1-11&version=ESV (Philippians 2:1-11) Continuing the “Living the Jesus Life” series, Paul has a lot to say about selflessness and servanthood.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+42&version=NASB (Psalm 42) Dear friends: Grace and peace to you in the name of God our Father and through the Lord Jesus Christ. I begin with this question: does your soul thirst for God? As human beings, our souls are our unique capacity to, in spiritual essence, know the living God – the One who hung the stars and planets in place, orbiting over the sun. Are you thirsty to know the power of God, to know the love of God, or the presence of His spirit with you? The psalmist writes: “as the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul thirsts for You.” [Saint] Augustine [of Hippo] once wrote “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee.” The Jewish writer Elie Wiesel, in his well-known book Night, describes his boyhood experiences during World War II as one of the countless victims in the Holocaust. Ripped from his home, and separated from everyone in his family except his father (who would later die in the death camps), Wiesel suffered a “dark night of the soul” as few would experience. It challenges views and beliefs about God. Wiesel’s innocence and faith became sacrifices on the altar of man's evil and sin’s darkness. It isn’t always easy to feel connected to God, is it? Gerhard Frost, however, in his book The Color of the Night, writes this: “suffering is not peripheral but central to human existence. And to avoid situations of pain is to condemn oneself to the shallows of life. And God goes before us, still calling ‘Follow Me.’” So we understand the psalmist who compares our soul’s first to be connected to the love of God with the deer that pants when it’s chased by the hunters through the woods. A. W. Tozer, in his book Knowledge of the Holy, writes: We live in a world hot in pursuit of quenching its thirst with everything but God. That's because we seek satisfaction in the wrong ways and in the wrong things. We run too hard chasing mirages that cannot satisfy. We get stuck in the mud in ruts of destructive behaviors that imprison us. We live in a culture that glorifies booze and drugs and sex without consequence. We chase frame or power or wealth. We purchase all kinds of toys to distract us. We want prestige, but in the end we’re left empty. You ever heard U2 sing the song “Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”? Bono, the lead singer of U2, says it's a song about every heart’s longing for God. The lyrics read [paraphrased]: I’ve climbed mountains and run through fields, scaled city walls, and I'm still running because I still haven't found what I'm looking for. I’ve kissed on the lips and spoken with devils, but I still haven't found what I'm looking for. I believe in the kingdom come, where colors bleed into one. You broke the bonds, You loosed the chains, You carry the cross of my shame. It's a haunting lyric, “I still haven't found what I'm looking for.”
There’s an ancient tale from the country of India about a young man who was seeking God, and he went to a wise old sage for help. “How can I find God?” he asked the old man. The old man took him to a nearby river. Out they waded into the deep water. Soon the water was up just under their chins. Suddenly, the old man sees the young man by the neck and pushed them under of the water. He held the young man down until the young man was flailing the water in desperation. Another minute and the young man may have drowned. Up out the water the two of them came, and the young men was coughing water from his lungs. And, still gasping for air and reaching the bank, he turned and looked at the old man and said indignantly “what’d that have to do with my finding God?” The old man asked him quietly, “while you were under the water, what did you want more than anything else?” The young man thought briefly and said “I wanted air. I wanted air more than anything else.” And the old man replied “when you want God as much is you wanted air, you will...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+1%3A27-30&version=ESV (Philippians 1:27-30) Dear friends, I love being a citizen of the United States. Yes, it has its flaws, but those flaws are few in comparison to the benefits and blessings I’ve received as a citizen. As you know, part of being a citizen is not only receiving blessings and privileges, it also involves responsibility and duty. It means paying taxes, participating in our community, serving our country, and being respectful and honest. Participate in the country. I have a dual citizenship, by the way. Maybe you do too. Anyone who is a believer in Jesus Christ has another citizenship far greater than any other. It's heavenly citizenship. And, as a citizen of God's kingdom, I also have received many spiritual blessings and privileges that I enjoy: a restored relationship with God, forgiveness for my sins, a cleansed conscience, the promise of eternity. And I also have duties and responsibilities as a citizen of this heavenly kingdom. That's what the apostle Paul tells us in our passage for today from Philippians. Let me just set this up for you little bit: Paul's been telling these folks of how he’s rejoicing because the gospel’s advancing, even where he is, and he’s in a prison in Rome. He reports in his letter that he’s been using his uncomfortable circumstances to bring Christ Jesus to the soldiers guarding him and that the whole Praetorian Guard has now heard about Jesus from Paul. And not only that, the Christians in Rome who had been kind of shy are now sharing the gospel of Christ more boldly, as they’re inspired by Paul. And Paul tells these Philippians that he's all in when it comes to the gospel, “for to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Now he turns the conversation away from himself, today, in this passage to the Philippian Christians (and to us as well) as he writes, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel; conduct yourselves in a way that honors Jesus your King and represents Him well in this world of ours.” Paul was actually talking citizenship. The verb, “let your manner of life be”, is literally “live as citizens”. Live as citizens worthy of the gospel, he says, the gospel of Christ. He's telling us it’s important to conduct ourselves as good citizens of the kingdom of Christ. We’re His representatives in the world. You do that, first of all, with your character, and then also with your conduct. Paul keeps going, he says Conduct yourself this way so that whether I come to you or am absent I may hear these things about you. That you are living life in a manner worthy of the gospel; that you’re living like our king Jesus would live, with a loving attitude, with kindness, and mercy, and grace, and truthfulness, and goodness , and integrity, and humility, and compassion towards others, and obedience to the great commandment to love God and love neighbor. Because how you act does say a lot, it tells the real story. He says it's also a continual standing firm in striving for the faith of the gospel. We’re to be evangelistic, called to spread the gospel of Jesus to other people. To intentionally, boldly, and gently sprinkle our conversations with others about Jesus and what He did for us at the cross and tomb. To tell others the good news of God's kingdom plan of salvation. To invite people to turn to Christ and receive the forgiveness of sins. Paul says as you’re doing those two things, it’s so important that you do them together, as the church. It's too hard to do this alone. He says, “I want to hear that you're standing firm in one spirit, striving side-by-side for the faith of the gospel.” That striving side-by-side is a term from the world of athletics. He’s talking teamwork — everyone working together as a team for the advancement of the gospel in your community. We need to stay connected to one another, doing His work together, not only as a show of strength, but it's a source of needed strength...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+1%3A12-26&version=ESV (Philippians 1:12-26) As we continue our “Living the Jesus Life” series, we look at what Paul says is the most important thing in his life, and what should be most important in ours as well.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+1%3A3-11&version=ESV (Philippians 1:3-11) In the second message of our “Living the Jesus Life” series, we look at what Paul’s letter to the Philippians says about God’s plan for our lives.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians+1%3A1-2&version=ESV (Philippians 1:1-2) We begin a new series, Living the Jesus Life, looking at Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In just the first couple lines, we find both our identity in Christ and one of His most important gifts.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+14%3A1-6&version=NASB (John 14:1-6) Dear friends: Is there anyone in life that you admire so much that you pattern your life after their character, their goals, their behavior? I admire Jesus Christ. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” I remember how Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:5, said “Blessed are the gentle in spirit, for they will inherit the earth.” Jesus was the King of Glory. In our world, when a new king is crowned, all the people in the kingdom wonder “what will this new king be like?” So we might ask “what is the way of life that Jesus our King models for us?” Recently I went to movie with my wife, “A Beautiful Day”. There’s a scene where Fred Rogers, played by Tom Hanks, is riding a subway car. The whole group of people in the car, of all ages and races, spontaneously begin to sing because they recognize Mr. Rogers. They sing “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine?” Jesus is the King of Glory, who left the power of Heaven as the Son of God, and came down to our world, to our neighborhood. Jesus moved in to live among us. And still today Jesus asks “won’t you please be my neighbor?” Perhaps you’ve had experience, like me, were someone walked past you in a public place and the fragrance of the person that walked by lingers. Maybe it’s the pleasant fragrance of a cologne or the sweet smell of a good perfume. I want to ask you: when people are around you do they smell the fragrance of Jesus Christ? Jesus shows us the way to live, first of all, by walking with humility. In the human experience, usually, the more power one has, the more selfish and arrogant we become. But Jesus, who had the greatest glory and the most profound infinite power, left the glory and the power of Heaven to become the greatest lover and the most generous giver the world has ever known. Humility is not weakness, but confidence in God’s presence and love to the extent that we can place others before ourselves. Where we can see the touch of God on other people’s lives, where we can treat them as if they bear the touch of the holy. Jesus always used His power to bless us and to save us. The second way of Jesus is that He was submissive to the Father in love. Jesus was obedient to the Father’s mission, even though the mission was impossible and no one else except Jesus, as the son of God, could’ve accomplished it. But Jesus, in love for His Father and in love for our broken world, and in love for us as individuals, embraced the difficult, dirty, and deadly mission for which He’d come. He endured the rejection and the hatred of His own people that He had created. He endured great disrespect and injustice. We read in Luke 9:51 “Jesus set His face resolutely toward Jerusalem.” It was a steely resolve. And when He faithfully committed to go to Jerusalem, He knew that He was going to die there. But He was submissive to the Father in total obedience. Remember, how in the garden of Gethsemane, He pleaded with the Father: “Is there any other way, Father? Yet not my will, but Yours be done.” The third way of Jesus showing us how to live is that He offers his unconditional love for everyone He’s created. No exceptions. Have you ever had the experience where you are in the midst of a big crowd? Maybe you’re in a packed gym for a basketball game, or you’re sitting in a crowded auditorium, waiting for concert from a famous musician, or maybe you’re driving through a major metropolitan area in heavy traffic. And it occurs to you, crowded around by people, that God knows each person in the crowd and loves them all. Jesus has unconditional love for everyone He has created. And He encourages each of us, because He knows our full potential and He knows the purpose for which God created us. And so in His love, in the most positive way, He pours Himself in love to us so that...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+8%3A23-27&version=ESV (Matthew 8:23-27) Dear friends: I live in the upper Midwest of the United States and every once in a while during the summer months the sirens will go off outside warning us that there is a severe storm headed our way, and we ought to take cover. It might be a tornado or a serious thunderstorm; it can all be a bit unnerving. Some of you might live in areas where there are other kinds of natural storms, such as hurricanes, and those can be very frightening as well. These storms of nature are just a part of living on planet Earth. We know that storms happen. But there are other kinds of storms we will experience in life as well that sometimes catch us by surprise. There are relational storms, as marriages struggle or we find ourselves in the midst of a divorce. It could be a lack of friendships in your life or feeling cut off from people and all alone. That’s stormy weather. Or there are health storms: a cancer that’s eating up your body or chronic illness that won’t go away. Or financial storms: a loss of employment, unexpected losses in your investments, or healthcare costs. There’s the storm of loss, and the storm of transition. And if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ you’ve learned that following Jesus doesn’t exempt you from facing those storms in life. How do you handle the storms? I mean let’s face it, it’s so easy for us to get scared, and panic, and doubt. Such is the case with the disciples in today’s story. This episode we read follows a conversation the Jesus had with some admirers who said they were interested in following Him. He and the disciples were just about ready to get into a boat to go over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and these admirers, along with the disciples, had witnessed Jesus doing miraculous healings earlier on, and they wanted in. Well Jesus warns them not to expect easy, smooth sailing if they follow him. It’s a high commitment thing. Then Matthew says “when Jesus got into the boat His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm.” No easy sailing with Jesus. The Sea of Galilee was known for its sudden storms. It would come up out of nowhere, and they could get nasty. And this one must of been a doozy, because even the seasoned fisherman in the boat were among the panicked as the boat was being swamped by water. And as a whole, Jewish folks didn’t really like the sea – they were afraid of it, they were landlubbers. They saw the sea as a dark, evil, power of fear. So this storm had to have made the disciples’ stress level skyrocket all the more. Now amazingly, Jesus is sound asleep in the back of the boat as they’re trying to keep it afloat. But when things look out of control, they wake Him up. “SAVE US, LORD, WE’RE PERISHING!” There appears to be some faith here on their part, right? But Jesus responds in an interesting way. In the midst of the storm, before He even addresses a storm, He uses it as a teachable moment. He speaks to them. “Why are you afraid, oh you of little faith?” In the midst of the waves filling the boat, the wind whistling around them, Jesus seems to be scolding them for being afraid. He calls them people of little faith. And notice: He gets after them not for “un-faith”. He doesn’t say “you’re all out of faith.” He gets after them for their little, wavering faith in the face of a frightening storm. They seem to have forgotten His power and authority that they had witnessed earlier in the chapter. Their faces show sheer panic as they wake Him up, not confident belief they still haven’t figured out who He really is. And they don’t know the plans that God had for Him: to go to a cross, to pay for the sins of the world, and rise again. They didn’t realize He was the Son of God. They don’t have the advantage that we have of reading the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They don’t have the big picture. Even though, I have to admit that even in knowing the...
Dear friends: A number of years ago, Chan Gailey, football coach for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, told how he learned a little lesson in humility. He was the head coach of Alabama’s Troy State, and they were playing for a national championship. The week before the big game he was headed to the practice field when a secretary called him back for a phone call. Somewhat irritated, he told her to take a message because he was on his way practice. She responded “but it’s Sports Illustrated.” “I’ll be right there” he said. As he made his way to the building he began thinking about the upcoming article. It would be great publicity for a small school like Troy State to be in Sports Illustrated. As he got closer, he realized that a three-page article would not be sufficient to tell the whole story. Coming even closer to his office he started thinking he might be on the cover! “Should I pose, or go with an action shot?” he wondered. His head was spinning with all kinds of possibilities. When he picked up the phone and said “hello”, the person asked “is this Chan Gailey?” “Yes it is” he replied confidently. “This is Sports Illustrated, and we’re calling to let you know that your subscription is running out. Are you interested in renewing?” Coach Gailey concluded his story by saying “you are either humble or you will be humbled.” You know, we receive all kinds of calls in life, don’t we? Junk calls, usually an automatic robotic voice: “congratulations, we have picked you to go on this trip.” Or a voice offering to update your car warranty. There’s spam and scam calls. “This is the Social Security office, and we need your Social Security number to get your account straightened out.” Fundraising calls: “this is your alma mater, we’re doing a capital campaign and we need your financial help.” Of course there are personal calls from family and friends who are checking in with us. Then there those bothersome calls from people you don’t really want to talk with because they’re irritating and interrupting your day. Surveys, for instance. Or crank calls, or prank calls, or business calls from customers, bosses, or colleagues. Some calls, though, we receive are quite memorable and important to us. I remember when my congregation called me up, said “Steve, we just voted and we want you to come and be our pastor.” Or a call from my grown-up son or daughter, “dad, we just had a baby boy!” Important calls. Today I want to talk with you about the most important call you will ever receive in your life. Because, you see, in our passage for today we come across the calling of Andrew and Peter and James and John by Jesus. He saw these fisherman with nets in their hands by the sea of Galilee and He called out to them “follow Me.” To follow someone means to come after them. Start going, moving in their direction. Get behind Him. And they responded, amazingly. They dropped what they were doing, left behind their businesses, and followed. Everything: business, family left behind. And they traipsed after Him in faith. They had some previous exposure to Jesus according to John’s gospel. Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. He told Andrew that Jesus was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Andrew was intrigued by this, and so he followed Jesus home and spent some time with Him and was convinced! He went home and told his brother Simon Peter “we found the Messiah!” And then Andrew brought Peter to meet Jesus, and then he stayed on, learning more. So later on, when Jesus comes to them and calls them by the Sea of Galilee to follow Him, they went with Him. They’d had some time, I suppose, to think about what they’d learned. They followed. They didn’t know where He would lead them, but they went in faith. And their lives were never the same after that, were they? They began following Jesus, and that involved living with Him 24/7. Getting to know Him. Learning from His wisdom as He taught them. Observing Him as He went throughout the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+4%3A12-17&version=ESV (Matthew 4:12-17) Dear friends: When I was a little boy my family visited the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park out in Montana where I’m from. Of course, we wanted to do a tour of the limestone caverns, which are considered the largest and most spectacular in the northwestern part of the United States. Now what I remember about the tour, first of all, is that I was a little nervous and scared at the thought of going down deep into these underground caves. It was scary enough seeing the bats flying around at the entrance to the cave as we prepared to go in. Then we descended deeper and deeper and deeper into the earth. It got chillier, and damper, and darker. The guide at one point turned off the lights just to show us how dark it could get. We couldn’t see anything – you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face! The blackness was disorienting and paralyzing. We didn’t move, and I was scared. Then suddenly he turned on his flashlight. One tiny flashlight lit up that huge cavern. The tour group let out a big sigh of relief as this one small light dispelled the darkness. We went through the rest of the tour and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was all over and we stepped back out into the warm, beautiful, Montana- “big sky country” sunlight. I don’t know about you, but I prefer light over dark. Matthew, in our passage for today, talks about light and darkness. He tells us that as Jesus made His headquarters for His ministry in the village of Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, that this was actually a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. Listen to his words again: The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.This passage comes from Isaiah 9. In Isaiah’s time God’s chosen people were living in the darkness of their sin and God’s judgment. They had turned to idols for their security instead of the God of Israel. Darkness prevailed. In fact, all of God’s commandments were being brazenly broken by His people, again and again. And now God’s judgment was looming upon them – a world power was about to take away their land. They were looking for answers in the wrong places, and now are stumbling around in the dark trying to fix things, according to Isaiah, who spoke on God’s behalf. They were lost! The future looked bleak for them. They would be invaded, deported, and live in exile as punishment, Isaiah told them. But in Isaiah 9, there’s a great announcement from Isaiah about a hopeful future for them. There would come light! God’s saving light. Isaiah goes on to describe the promised one from God – a King – coming Who would be their Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Their light would be given them. As Isaiah predicted, as you know, they lost the land just as he said and they were exiled. God’s punishment was carried out, and they lived in exile for many, many years. Eventually they were allowed to return home, thanks to God’s help. But after they returned to their land, there was still no Messiah King yet to rule over them. They lived under the domination of various world powers, so they looked forward to the day when the Messianic King God promised would arrive and make things right for Israel, just like was described in Isaiah 9. Now, in today’s story Matthew announces: The time you’ve been waiting for has arrived! Here is that light that Isaiah was talking about. It’s Jesus! He has come to overcome the darkness of the world. A new day is dawning, even in the region of the shadow of death itself.We learn in this statement that Jesus is a light for all kinds of people, not just Jewish folks. This area, where Jesus was beginning His ministry, was Jewish and pagan. It lay aside the international...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3%3A15-20&version=NASB (Revelation 3:15-20) Dear friends: Who would you say you most admire in this world? And if that person you admire so much were a person of power and influence, what would you do if they came to your home today and knocked on the door asking “can I come in? Can I move in with you and stay a while? Can I share the rhythms of your life and get to know you in a relationship of love?” Imagine how that would be if the person you love and admire so much began to share daily life with you. Let me say that love never forces entrance, nor can love be forced. Love always invites, offers, waits, and gives. The Bible says that Jesus is the King of kings who is the “persistent suitor”, coming to us again and again to knock on the door of our hearts, seeking access to our lives in order that he might bless us with His power. Save us, forgive us, and reconcile us to His Father. King Jesus has another name, it is Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. Think about Jesus as King, coming to us as God as He really is to live with us as we really are. God comes to stay, to live in our neighborhood. That’s totally different than a visiting guest who comes for a few hours on a special occasion. Sometimes we think about Jesus as a repairman: we hope he leaves soon, and we hope he doesn’t cost us too much. Pause a minute now and think: Jesus is the King of the cosmos who will save us from our sins. The One who had all power emptied Himself of all power and glory as God in order to take on the weakness of human flesh. In the incarnation God was everywhere present, now becomes human living in a particular place. The God who was eternal now comes to live within time and history. It’s an interesting thought, but we who are human beings are relatively puny compared to the size and power and scope of an infinite, almighty God. However God’s Spirit, though everywhere, will not dwell in one place uninvited. That’s within the heart of every person that He has created. When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River in Mark 1, He says “the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the good news.” Well the Kingdom of God was at hand because Jesus the King had come to live with people He had created. The King moved into the neighborhood. And when a king ascends to power, there are only two responses: you either surrender on your knees to swear allegiance to the king or you rebel and run. I once read a true story of a man was arrested for a crime, convicted, and sentenced to death. He was guilty, but people who loved the man went to the governor of the state, and the governor pardoned the man of his death sentence. But the man said “I will not accept it.” Well that took matters of the legal system, and the court ruled that the pardon was not valid unless the one intended to be pardoned accepted the pardon. The legal court system said that the man had the right to refuse mercy and refuse freedom. When King Jesus comes to pardon us of all our failures and sins and give us new life and freedom, though it seems ridiculous, puny people can limit the almighty power of King Jesus. We can reject His love and reject His pardon. So does your life have room for a King Jesus? In John 1:11 it says “Jesus came to His own people but His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to them God gives the power, the authority, to become the people of God.” If Jesus came to your house and came in to live, would your ego let Him have the throne? If Jesus came to your house and shared time with you, is there any element of your attitudes and behaviors or speech, is ready thing within your household that you’d be embarrassed for the King to see? Well what is the impact when King Jesus moves in? Jesus reigns wherever he is received. He has unlimited power and unlimited resources to bring about positive change, and he brings that change with a...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+1%3A29-34&version=NIV (John 1:29-34) Dear Friends: About three years ago, I think it was, I read a wonderful book entitled “Grace” by Max Lucado, and in this book he tells a story. It seems that there was this Chinese man named Li Fuyan, who tried every treatment imaginable to ease his headaches, but nothing helped. An x-ray finally revealed the culprit: there was a 4-inch rusty knife blade that had gotten lodged in his skull, and it been there for the past four years. You see, in an attack by a robber Li Fuyan had suffered lacerations on the right side of his jaw. He didn’t know the blade had broken off inside his head, and that’s what was behind the pain.Lucado comments on this story: he says we can’t live with foreign objects buried in our bodies (or our souls). What would an x-ray of your interior reveal? Regrets over an earlier relationship? Remorse over a poor choice? Shame about a marriage that didn’t work, the habit you couldn’t quit, the temptation you didn’t resist, or the courage you couldn’t find? Guilt lies beneath the surface. It festers and irritates. It’s embedded in us. Guilt, shame, remorse… On an episode of “This American Life”, a public radio show, host Ira Glass remarks: Some regrets never go away. People tell us they forgive us, we try to forgive ourselves, and we still know like we did wrong, like we hurt somebody, it was real. And that feeling, it can immobilize you. If you’re lucky, it teaches you something you can take into other situations. But I think often it’s just like this pebble in your shoe. It teaches you nothing. It doesn’t slow you down, really. It just hurts. It just hurts in a way that does not stop hurting.”Regrets, shame, remorse… In a New York Times article, columnist David Brooks wrote a couple years ago he argues “religion may be in retreat but guilt seems as powerfully present as ever.” Regrets, guilt, shame… Brooks has it right. What do you do, though, with your guilt and your regrets? John the Baptist points us to Jesus in response to that question, and he says “Look! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!” That got people’s attention. We’ve been doing a series, “Jesus Is”. This is the second message in the series and here we learn that Jesus Is: the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. That image of the lamb had to have stirred memories from the Old Testament for those that heard John speak. For instance, we remember Abraham and Isaac on the mountain in Genesis 22, where Abraham was about to sacrifice his only son Isaac, and just as he is raising a knife up God stops him. And they look up, they see a ram caught in the thicket. It had been provided by God for the sacrifice. We have described for us the sacrificial lambs that were used in the temple of Jerusalem. Leviticus 14 tells us “and the priest shall take one of the male lambs and offer it for a guilt offering for the sins of the people.” And then there’s Isaiah 53, where the prophet Isaiah describes the “suffering servant” who will come, “and He will be led away like a Lamb to the slaughter for His people.” And of course we don’t want to forget the Passover lamb from the book of Exodus. Remember that story, where the blood of the lamb protected the Israelite firstborn children when the Angel of Death swept over the land of Egypt. And each year as the Jews celebrate Passover that lamb reminds Israel of God’s goodness, His protection, as well as their deliverance and redemption from slavery under the Pharaoh. But there’s more here than simply the image of a lamb. John said he’s a lamb of God. OF GOD. He’s sent by God. He’s of God, is provided by God, He’s the son of God. And He was provided for what? For our sin, “the sin of the world” John says. You see humankind’s greatest problem is sin, and it needs a solution. Scripture tells us that all of us has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We’re rebels...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+3%3A13-17&version=NRSV (Matthew 3:13-17) Dear friends, I’d like to have you complete this statement for me: “Life is…” Some of you may think ‘life is a bowl of cherries’. We think of Forrest Gump who said “life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Someone else has said “life is a journey.” There are T-shirts out today that remind us “life is good”. There are a whole host of possibilities with which you can fill in that blank. Now, how would you finish the statement: “Jesus is…” Again, there are a variety of answers to put in that blank. Some are true, some half true. Some are absolutely false. Some are versions of Jesus that simply reflect our own desires and our own leanings. I do want to you to know this though: that how you fill in that blank is really important. In fact, knowing Jesus and everything you can about Him is the most important thing you’ll ever have in life. The apostle Paul, who at one time was an opponent to the Christian faith but after meeting Christ had a different outlook, wrote “But whatever again I had I count as loss for Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” It’s an important blank to fill in. “Jesus is…” And for the next few weeks we’re going to let Scripture fill in that blank for us with a variety of truths about Jesus regarding His character, His purpose, and His vision for our lives on planet Earth. So today we began at the baptism of Jesus. God tells us quite plainly “Jesus is…My Son.” He’s the Son of God, this Jesus. Like the hymn says in ‘Beautiful Savior’ “Son of God and Son of Man.” He’s God in the flesh. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” That’s the Christmas story: God has come to be with us. Max Lucado, one of my favorite Christian authors, tells a wonderful story which encapsulates this truth: “Charlie was 10”, Lucado writes. “School was out for Christmas and the family had chosen to spend the holiday in the country. The boy pressed his nose against the bay window of the vacation home and marveled at the British winter. He was happy to trade the blackened streets of London for the cotton-white freshness of snow-covered hills. His mom invited him to go for a drive with her, and he quickly accepted. A halcyon moment was in the making. She snaked the car down the twisty road, the tires crunched the snow, and the boy puffed his breath on the window. He was thrilled to be out. Mother, however, was anxious. Heavy snow began to fall, visibility lessened. As she took the curve the car started to slide. It didn’t stop until it was in a ditch. She tried to drive out, the tires just spun. They were stuck. They needed help. A mile down the road sat a house. Off they went and knocked on the door. ‘Of course’ the woman told them, ‘Come in, warm yourselves, the phone is yours.’ She offered them tea and cookies, and urged them to stay until help arrived.” Lucado writes “An ordinary event, you think? Don’t suggest that to the woman who opened the door. She has never forgotten that day. She’s retold the story a thousand times, and who could blame her? It’s not often that royalty appears on your porch! For the two travelers stranded by the English winter were no less than Queen Elizabeth II and the heir to the throne, 10-year-old Charles.”The word on the streets of Heaven and the lips of Christians is that something far grander has happened to our world. Royalty has walked on our streets. Heaven’s prince has knocked on our door. His visit, however, was no accident, and He did much more than simply stay for tea. He came to save us, didn’t He? Jesus is God in the flesh come to be with us, to save us. Now since He is God in the flesh, that means he is sinless and perfect, right? Many people wonder, then, if He was sinless why was He...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NRSV (John 1:1, 14, 16-18) Dear Friends: We ushered in a new year just a few days ago, so let me pause here and wish you a happy new year! You know, each new year I can't help but stop and wonder about what the next year will bring to me and to this world. Maybe you do that as well. For some, in looking ahead, that can be troubling. There can be some anxious and pessimistic concerns. For some people, they can't help but notice there are so many things wrong in this world. For instance in our own United States we’re experiencing rough waters in our government and politics. People are worried about health care costs. Of course the warnings are coming more often now about climate change issues, and that's unsettling as we think about the future for our children. There seems to be a deep polarization in society today over so many issues. And there’s gun violence being on the rise and mass shootings in our schools and nothing but negative news on TV. And we can't help but notice an erosion of morals and values as well as a questioning of absolutes and truth all around us. And civility seems to be lost. Of course there is this thing called change; the world is changing faster and faster it seems. We typically don't like change - it means making uncomfortable adjustments, and that can be hard on us. I don’t know about you but I'm finding it harder and harder to keep up with technology. And then there are the daily insecurities of life as we wonder ahead. ‘Will my health hold up?’ ‘I’m not getting any younger!’ Or finances: “will have enough for the future?” So when someone wishes us a happy new year some of you may be thinking “Happy new year?! Fat chance! I don’t know how that’s ever going to happen for me!” Well, I believe that you will find the John's statements in his gospel, which we read earlier, more than helpful to hold onto as you step into 2020. They contain some very good news for you and me. First of all the statements make a wonderful announcement: God has come in the flesh! “The Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh.” The birth of Jesus. He dwelt among us, meaning literally He pitched his tent, He took up residence with us. He was God's gift of love to the world. God has come, but listen: He's never left. And He never will! In fact, Christ will be making another appearance again in the future to restore God's world once and for all, according to His plans. Everything is under control. Relax! You are in good hands, strong hands that will never let you go. This is not an abandoned planet. I may not know what my future holds, but I know the One who holds my future. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and is dwelled among us full of grace and truth.” Trusting in Him my future is sealed, no matter what the circumstances that come my way. And if you wonder if anyone knows how you feel as you face life, He does. As one of us He experienced all the hurts that life can throw at an individual: pain, and disappointment, and hunger, and thirst, and rejection, and hostility, and frustration, and discouragement, and human limitations. So when you turn to Him in prayer and approach His throne of grace, know this for sure: you do not have an unsympathetic high priest (as the book of Hebrews refers to Jesus) listening to you. He could very well be nodding His head in agreement, as if to say “I know how you feel. I've been there Myself. I know life's hurts.” John goes on to testify “we have seen His glory, as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Christ has made God known to us. We've seen his glory, John says, which means God's manifestation, His person. “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” No one has ever seen God, but the Son has made Him known to us. In other...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+24%3A27-42&version=NASB (Matthew 24:27-42) Dear friends: I pray that the wonder of Christmas fills you with joy in your life of faith as we celebrate the truth that Jesus has come to the world. Jesus has been born to be our Savior! But I want to remind you today that the same Jesus whose birth we celebrate was born to be our Savior, has promised to return for us someday. Someday the King Jesus Christ will return to establish His kingdom forever. Billy Graham once was quoted as saying “I read the last page of the Bible; it’s going to turn out all right.” Jesus taught us to pray the Lord’s Prayer “Thy kingdom come,” so as often as we pray that prayer we’re praying for Jesus to come again, to establish His kingdom. Did you know that there are 380 verses in the Scriptures about Jesus’ second coming? King Jesus is returning to Earth someday to establish His kingdom forever. And the Christian believers living in the world at that moment in time will be raptured, will be called up with Christ in the air! That’s what we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. That Jesus, when that trumpet blast happens, will bring with him all the believers who have fallen asleep in the faith through the centuries of time. What a day that will be! Can you imagine how bewildered the disciples were immediately after Easter? They had just watched their Lord die on a cross, bleeding until He breathed His last. The one they believed to be God (and the Messiah) now died and was laid in the tomb, buried behind a sealed stole. Then they rejoiced that He was raised from the dead, that He conquered death, that He was alive forever; only, on a certain day, to have Jesus float up into the sky out of their midst. And an Angel appears and says “why are you staring at the sky? Jesus, Whom you watched ascend, will come back again!” “When will that be?” No one knows the time or the day – not the Angels, not the Son of God, but only the Father. When I was a boy I feared the rapture. I worried that I wasn’t good enough, that my faith wasn’t strong enough or sincere enough. I worried that I wasn’t obedient enough and that I would be “left behind” when Christ returns. My faith had not yet fully understood the Gospel promise. I didn’t live with the assurance of salvation – with the joy and peace of knowing that I was forgiven and saved because of what Jesus did. You see, the second coming of Jesus Christ should not be something we fear, it should be an event of great thrill! It will be a day of excitement! The first time, Jesus was born in humility and vulnerability; a little infant, powerless, lying in the manger. He was born to die on a cross to be our redeemer. But the second coming of Jesus Christ… He will come with power and great glory and every eye will see him! He’ll come in victory and triumph. So my hope is that each of us affirms our faith and lives with the assurance of our salvation and peace with God. So there are some truths I want to unpack with you about the second coming of Jesus. When the King returns the Father has given Him authority to be judge of the world. Not everyone will go to Heaven, not because God wills it, but because they reject His love offered in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will come as judge not with vengeance as if His patience was exhausted or He was punitive in His judgment or retaliatory. But He knows those who are His. Jesus knows those who believe in Him and those who don’t. So it says in Matthew 24 “one will be taken and one will be left behind”. In Philippians 2 it says “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord.” Some will meet Jesus on that day as their longed-for Savior. But some will meet Jesus that day as their judge. Jesus said some will beat on the door and say “let us in!”, and Jesus will say “sorry, I never knew you.” So Jesus comes as judge because not everyone is a believer in Him and not everyone believes His promises to be true,...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1%3A18-25&version=ESV (Matthew 1:18-25) It’s only three days until Christmas. During these past few weeks, people all around the world have been preparing for this day by shopping and cooking, baking, decorating, attending Christmas programs and concerts. All this activity has been happening around a 2,000-year-old story. It is the story of the birth of Jesus. For some, this story is meant for children to re-enact in a pageant and nothing more. It is cute and charming. Others view it as a made-up folktale, a legend of sorts, or a myth not to be taken seriously. Others will listen with a sympathetic ear hearing it as a sad story of social injustice about a poor couple forced to leave home by an oppressive government. There was no place for poor Mary to give birth except in cattle stall. But for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Christmas story is so much more! The Christmas story is a rescue story. It is Good News of the power of God for salvation. In Matthew’s version of the Christmas story, after a lengthy genealogy revealing Jesus’ family tree, it begins this way: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way . . .”The story in Matthew is not as glitzy as Luke’s version of the birth. There are no shepherds, no choir of singing angels, or a stable scene with animals. Yet it is every bit as profound and loaded with good news for you and me. We find Joseph center stage in this episode. He’s troubled because he just learned Mary is pregnant, and he knows he is not the biological father. Joseph is a good person. Matthew describes him as just, righteous. So Joseph was going to quietly divorce Mary to save her the embarrassment and condemnation from the rest of the village of Nazareth. But just before he follows through on this, he has a dream in which he receives a message from God. An angel speaks to him. Some people wonder if God speaks in dreams. My response is, according to Matthew and elsewhere in Scripture, He does. Remember Joseph and his coat of many colors in Genesis, God speaking to Abraham in a dream, and several other places as well. “Do you believe in angels?” people ask. Absolutely! Angel stories, or angelophonies as they are called, are present throughout Scripture. More importantly, Jesus talked about angels as being real. The message Joseph heard from the angel is so central to our story. Hear these words again: “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to move ahead with this marriage. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.”“Joseph, son of David” tells us Jesus is from the line of King David. He was ultimately the One promised by God as a King to reign forever in David’s lineage. “This child is conceived by the Holy Spirit.”What? Joseph must’ve initially thought. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! This baby in Mary’s womb is God’s child? She’s still a virgin? Impossible! This kind of reaction, by the way, is still given to this day by those who are skeptics of the Christian faith. This is outrageous thinking they say. Scientifically impossible! I believe God can do anything He wants to do, don’t you? The God who created everything, who threw the sun and stars and the moon into space, who created this beautiful, awesome complex world can make a virgin birth happen as well. A pastor, Peter Larson, one time wrote, “The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities – a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb. Jesus entered our world through a door marked ‘No Entrance’ and left through a door marked ‘No Exit.’” The name this angel talks about – Jesus – is really the Good News here. It means, “God saves,” for He will save His people from their sins. Jesus is the Savior. He’s not here to save people from the power of Rome or another exile as in the past. He’s here to save people from something bigger, much deadlier – their sins. Jesus is the only one who can do this. Many people find it difficult to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Matthew+11%3A2-6&version=ESV ( Matthew 11:2-6) Second thoughts are something we all experience from time to time in life. For instance, I remember a woman saying to me in my office, I’m having second thoughts about marrying this individual. Someone else said to me along the way, You know, I’m headed toward retirement but I’m having second thoughts. I’m not sure what I will do with my time. Someone else might say, I’m having second thoughts about this relocation I’ve made in life or a purchase I’ve made. Have you ever had second thoughts about Jesus? I wouldn’t be surprised if you are nodding your head to this question. Second thoughts can even happen in our faith life. Someone might have second thoughts about Jesus because He isn’t meeting their expectations. They say, My life isn’t going all that well. It is filled with problems. I have pain in my life. I thought Jesus would prevent that. Or perhaps you’re having second thoughts because someone you admire has rejected Jesus and their rationale is challenging your own belief in Him. Second thoughts can happen as the result of unexplained suffering and evil, which can cause intellectual doubts. It’s not unusual. The important thing though is what you do with second thoughts when they come. We have a story before us today I think is helpful. A preacher named John the Baptist is having second thoughts about Jesus. John is in prison for preaching a repentance message and pointed people to the coming kingdom of God. He also publicly denounced King Herod’s marriage as illegitimate, which angered Herod, so he had John arrested. In our story, John is sitting in prison waiting and wondering if he will ever get out, and if not, was he wrong in his thinking about Jesus? Why isn’t He helping me? John wondered. Jesus had been baptized by John, and John told his disciples that Jesus is the One they had been waiting for. There goes the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John was quite excited about Jesus arriving on the scene. But now we find him in today’s passage feeling confused and puzzled, struggling a bit. Disappointed. What he has heard about Jesus’ ministry so far hasn’t been very exciting, and he is having second thoughts about Him. Jesus isn’t acting according to John’s expectations. John had predicted the wrath of God – the ax is being laid to the tree, fire and brimstone and judgment. But John is not hearing any wrath of God in Jesus’ message. There is no judgment or ax or fire and brimstone. Other than a few miracles here and there, not much success or momentum has occurred as John had expected. He must have wondered, If Jesus is the One, why am I still sitting here in prison? I’m one of the good guys! Have you ever asked that question when life isn’t going well? Why doesn’t Jesus get me out of this? Frederick Buechner, a wonderful Christian writer wrote about John the Baptist’s thoughts in his book, Peculiar Treasures, a Biblical Who’s Who. His words might help us understand John’s questioning. Listen to this: John apparently had second thoughts about Jesus later on, however, and it’s no great wonder. Where John preached grim justice and pictured God as a steely-eyed thrasher of grain, Jesus preached forgiving love and pictured God as the host to the marvelous party or a father who can’t bring himself to throw his children out even when they spit in his eye. Where John said people had better save their skins before it was too late, Jesus said it was God who saved their skins, and even if you blow your bankroll on liquor and sex like the prodigal son, it still wasn’t too late. Where John ate locusts and wild honey in the wilderness with the church crowd, Jesus ate what He felt like in Jerusalem with as sleazy a bunch as you could expect to find. Where John crossed to the other side of the street if he saw sinners heading his way, Jesus seems to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+3%3A1-12&version=ESV (Matthew 3:1-12) I was speaking with a friend a while back about someone who was making a mess of things. My friend said That guy will never change. He is a hopeless case! This is a day of little faith and few convictions. Out of frustration and disappointment, people are inclined to say, You just can’t change human nature. Perhaps you’ve found yourself saying or thinking the same thing about certain people. You know the line: A leopard can’t change its spots. A person will always be that way, no matter what! We might even think it about ourselves. I can never change. That’s the way I am; It‘s the way I will always be. Then we sigh, shrug our shoulders, and say, I guess you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I have found this kind of thinking can cause discouragement and even despair in us. I’m a drunk; I’ll always be a drunk. Or, I’m a terrible spouse. I’ll always be a terrible spouse; there’s no hope for this marriage. Or, I’m a bad, self-centered person. I just give up. You can’t change human nature. If you believe this, a popular preacher from a long time ago by the name of John would beg to differ with you. In our story from Matthew’s Gospel, John the Baptist came on the scene in the wilderness of Judea out by the Jordan River. Crowds of people from Jerusalem, Judea, and the region about the Jordan River flocked out into the wilderness to hear this guy – even be baptized by him in the Jordan River confessing their sins. Why was John so popular? What was the attraction? Was it his looks? He was a rather strange looking person, we’re told. He wore camel hair and a leather belt and reminded people of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Perhaps his interesting diet struck people as odd. He only ate locusts and wild honey – kind of a Euell Gibbons of his day. It could be his style, his tone, his plain talk, his urgency. He was very direct and challenging to people. He didn’t mince words. While some of those attributes played into the picture for the people, it seemed there was more. It was his message. He sounded like a prophet speaking for God. “Repent,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This meant the same as the kingdom of God, but Matthew was writing for a Jewish audience who revered the name of God, and he didn’t want to offend them. “The kingdom of heaven is at hand!” God is up to something big. Get ready! Repent now! Now is the time to change your direction, and turn to God. Surrender yourself to His leadership. John’s talk was a bit sobering. He spoke of the wrath to come and an ax being laid to the tree. His words seemed to ally shake people up. John’s message sounded fresh and is different from what people had heard for a long time. His words rang with the authority of God. He reminded them of an Old Testament prophetic voice of God, which had been silenced for years – and the people were ready for it. It was like an alarm going off, and people were awakened by his message. What was particularly thrilling about John’s message was the description of the person who was coming. The center of John’s message is this: “He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. I baptize you with water. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”Someone is coming who is mightier and greater than I, John says. It sounds like the Messiah from God whom the people of God had been hoping for. He will change your life, John says. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is describing the work of the Holy Spirit in one’s life when they received Christ. You see, you can’t change human nature. You can’t change yourself. But God can and will through His Son, Jesus Christ. When you trust in Him, He breathes His Spirit in you, and you become a new creation with new power, a new identity, a new...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+24%3A36-44&version=NRSVCE (Matthew 24:36-44) It has been said that where there is no hope for the future, there is no power for the present. Hope is a critical element in life. I once read humans can live forty days without food, eight days without water, four minutes without oxygen, but only a few seconds without hope. Pastor Timothy Keller uses this illustration in his book, Making Sense of God. “Imagine you have two women of the same age, the same social-economic status, the same educational level, and even the same temperament. You hire both of them and say to each, ‘You are part of an assembly line, and I want you to put part A into slot B and then hand what you have assembled to someone else. I want you to do this over and over for eight hours a day.’ “You put them in identical rooms with identical lighting, temperature, and ventilation. You give them the very same number of breaks in the day. It’s very boring work. The conditions are the same in every way except for one difference: you tell the first woman you will pay her $30,000 at the end of the year, and you tell the second woman you will pay her $30 million. “After a couple of weeks, the first woman says, ‘Isn’t this tedious? Isn’t it driving you insane? Aren’t you thinking about quitting?’ But the second woman says, ‘No. This is perfectly acceptable. In fact, I whistle while I work.’ “What’s going on? You have two human beings who are experiencing identical circumstances in radically different ways. What makes the difference? It’s their expectation of the future.” This illustration is not intended to say all we need is a good income. It does, however, show that what we believe about our future completely controls how we experience our present. We are irreducibly hope-based creatures. What is your outlook on the future these days? Is it hopeful? Is it based on a solid foundation? Today’s Bible text is about having a hopeful future. We’re told in the story that Jesus is coming again. We don’t consider this fact very often. However, in the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, we say, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Have you ever given much thought to what this statement means for you? Is it negative in your mind? In the past, Bible teaching about the second coming of Christ was considered doomsday preaching. But this doesn’t need to be the case. I propose we view it as a ray of hope shining an ever-brightening beam into a darkening, chaotic world. The fact that Jesus is coming again is promising news – hopeful news – for the follower of Jesus Christ because the world can be turbulent and dangerous. It can make us feel afraid, depressed, and discouraged. Some days it seems like things are just getting worse in this fallen world of ours. Days seem a little darker. We see it on the news – wars that never end, cruelty between human beings, human suffering, corruption in government, environmental challenges, earthquakes, flooding, fires, drought, climate change. We learn certain foods and drinks, always considered healthy, can actually be killing us. The opioid addiction is way out of hand in our country. Looking around, we see immorality and godlessness all around us. Local church attendance is shrinking and secularism seems to be growing in our society. By the way, Jesus said this would be the case. He knew. Just read the first part of Matthew 24. Living amid the darkness of a fallen world can be more than a little unsettling; it can be downright overwhelming and even cause us to throw our hands up in an air of resignation and despair. We live each day without much power, unplugged, with no hope for the future and no power for the present. But Jesus has promised to come again. This is meant to be a word of reassurance and encouragement. His return will be in power and glory. This is grounds for Christian optimism and strength. He has the final word. The...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1-2&version=NIV (Hebrews 12:1-2) An old Jewish rabbi once said, “God made man because He loves stories.” Your life crosses with God’s love, and it has a story to tell. Your life’s story, which places faith in Jesus Christ, becomes a God story. Hebrews 12 talks about the Christian journey as a race run with our eyes fixed on Jesus, and the need to persevere in life. But it also speaks of Jesus as the author of our faith. You are God’s saint. With the Holy Spirit living within, you, by faith, have a story to tell. This is a God story from years ago. It was 1945. World War II had drawn to a close and a young German soldier sat broken inside a prisoner of war camp in Scotland. He had been a reluctant soldier in Hitler’s army, and here inside a prison, he had months to contemplate what had been and what was to come. The cities of his homeland were now reduced to rubble, the people impoverished. His sleep was haunted by nightmares of the terrors of warfare. Then, in his prison barracks, someone put up pictures of the reality of the concentration camps in Dachau, Belzec, and Auschwitz, and the truth filtered into his awareness. He saw faces of Nazi victims. Was this what he had fought for? Has my generation, as the last, been driven to our deaths so the concentration murderers could go on killing and Hitler could live a few months longer? Because of his depression, his awareness of wartime destruction, and his continued captivity, this soldier lived in a dark cloud of shame and disgrace. That was the hardest thing – dark despair, which had a stranglehold on him and choked him. A visiting chaplain gave this young German soldier a Bible, and with little else to do, he began reading it. In the lament Psalms, he heard resonant voices, the agony of people who felt God had abandoned them. In the story of Christ crucified, he encountered a God who knew what it was to experience suffering, abandonment, and shame. Feeling utterly forsaken himself, the German soldier found a friend in the One who from the cross had cried, “My God my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46).Then in 1947, he was permitted to attend a Christian conference that brought together young people from across the world. The Dutch participants asked to meet with German POWs who had fought in the Netherlands. This young soldier was one of them. He went to the meeting full of fear, guilt, and shame. His feelings intensified as the Dutch Christians spoke of the pain Hitler and his allies had inflicted, of the dread the Gestapo had bred into their hearts, and of the family and friends they’d lost in the disruption and damage to their communities. Yet the Dutch Christians didn’t speak out of a spirit of vindictiveness but came to offer forgiveness. It was completely unexpected. They embodied the love the German soldier had read about in the story of Christ, and it turned his life upside down. He discovered that, despite all that had passed, God looks on us with shining eyes of His eternal joy, and there is hope for the future. The young German soldier was Jürgen Moltmann who would go on to become one of the greatest Christian theologians of the 20th century. Years later, with the message of the loving crucified God still indelibly printed on his heart, he penned these beautiful words: “The ultimate reason for our hope is not to be found at all in what we want, wish for, or wait for. The ultimate reason is we are wanted and wished for and waited for.” What is it that awaits us? Does anything await us at all, or are we alone? Someone is waiting for you, who is hoping for you, who believes in you. As the father waited for the prodigal son to return, so our heavenly Father waits for us. As a mother takes her children into her arms and comforts them, so we are accepted and received. God is our last hope because we are God’s first love. You have a story to tell. Every saint has a story to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A35-43&version=NRSV (Luke 18:35-43) Back in the 1990s, a new craze called stereogram art became popular. A stereogram is a picture hidden within a picture. Initially, you just see a pattern of some sort. But hidden within the pattern lies a three-dimensional image, which could only be seen by refocusing one’s vision. Outside my hometown in Livingston, Montana is a beautiful mountain range. If you stare at it awhile, you can see the figure of a giant man lying down. The natives call it “The Sleeping Giant”. When I point it out to people, they often cannot see it. So I try my best to help them see the sleeping giant that they can appreciate it. Our story for today is about seeing. An adage goes: “Seeing is believing.” However, the story in Luke 18 could very well be entitled, “Believing is Seeing.” The Gospel writer, Luke, has written the story to help us see Jesus. Jesus is approaching the city of Jericho. He is only 18 miles from Jerusalem, and His journey is almost completed. A crowd is gathered around Him talking, making requests, asking Him questions, trying to get His attention. It is rather loud and raucous. They are traveling to celebrate the Passover, a commemoration of when God set His people free from slavery in Egypt. Jesus’ popularity is growing. He’s become a celebrity of sorts. The stories of His teachings and healings are floating around the towns and villages of Galilee. People are wondering who He is, so they go out to see for themselves. Along the roadside outside of Jericho, people are lined up to welcome Passover pilgrims and wish them well. Many are trying to get a glance at Jesus. At strategic places along the way, beggars ask for alms from folks who pass by. It is a typical sight. Our focus for today is on one particular beggar on the side of the road who is about to have his life changed. He would have an eye-opening experience, for he is a blind man. Because of his blindness, he is unable to work. Having been rejected by family and society in general, he has to beg to survive. He is overlooked and ignored, looked down upon by people, considered riffraff – about as low as you could go on the social scale. But it is all about to change in our story. The blind man notices the loudness increasing around him. A loud group is approaching ahead, making all kinds of noise. People are talking loudly. He hears people around him saying, There He is! I, I think I can see Him! What’s all the commotion? he asks no one in particular. Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. In the popular perception, He was simply “Jesus,” an amazing man from Nazareth. The jury was still out on His faux identity. When the blind man hears this, he starts yelling something we haven’t heard yet in Luke’s Gospel. “Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me.” He is expressing an insight others haven’t had. Though he is physically blind, he sees a lot more than most people when it comes to Jesus. Notice he doesn’t cry out, “Jesus of Nazareth! Have mercy on me,” but “Jesus, Son of David!” These are words of faith! His heart sees the light before his eyes could, and he recognizes Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the promised One of God, the Savior. So he cries for an audience with Him, Have mercy on me! Help me! Show compassion on me! People in front of the beggar, as they heard him cry for an audience with this Savior King, turn around and rebuke him. Shhh. Be quiet. Jesus doesn’t have time for people like you. Just shut up. You’ve got a lot of nerve. Don’t bother Jesus. But the blind man desperately continues to shout even louder: SON OF DAVID. HAVE MERCY ON ME. Then an amazing thing happens – Jesus stops. Amid all these people talking, the cacophony of noise, and the steady flow of the crowd, Jesus stops. He’s heard the blind beggar, and He recognizes faith. Someone in this crowd has faith and needs Him in some way. So Jesus commands a couple of...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+18%3A31-34&version=ESV (Luke 18:31-34) In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, there is a memorable scene between Tevye and Golda in which he asks her, “Golda, do you love me?” She then lists all the things she has done with him and for him. He asks again, “Do you love me?” She initially responds to his question by saying, “You’re a fool,” but he smiles and says, “I know, but do you love me?” People sometimes play the fool and ask the same question of God. Do you love me, God? Really? Circumstances in life can sometimes cause moments of doubts about His love – such as when we’ve done something we are ashamed of. It can be difficult to understand how God could love us after that. Or when something bad happens to us, we may wonder, If He truly does love me, why did He let that happen? Looking back on our lives and suddenly remembering things we’ve thought, said, or done for which we’re ashamed, we may still feel the power they hold over us. Satan loves to use flashbacks against us as he whispers, You’re a loser. Jesus couldn’t possibly love you. Or perhaps our insecurities keep us wondering if God still loves us. During these times of doubt, I need a word from God, like today’s reading from Luke 18, to speak truth into my life. In this passage, Jesus was traveling close to Jerusalem. He knew what lay ahead of Him. He quietly warned the disciples about the coming events. Notice the detail and accuracy of His preview. He would be handed over to the Gentiles by the Sanhedrin Council. He would be mocked, shamefully treated, spit upon, flogged, and killed. I don’t think you and I can even begin to imagine the burden Jesus carried in knowing what lay ahead for Him. Later in the story, we are told that Jesus literally sweat drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane as He thought about the next day. It all sounds rather nightmarish, yet Jesus went anyway. The disciples did not understand Jesus’ words. But everything happened as He said it would. He suffered and was handed over to the Romans by the Jewish Sanhedrin Council. We read in the Passion Story how He was mistreated and killed on the worst instrument of torture of His day – the cross. Cicero described the crucifixion as the cruelest and most hideous of tortures. Jesus was stripped and tied to a whipping post. He was flogged with four or five thongs of leather interwoven with sharp, jagged bone and lead. Eusebius, the third-century church historian, described Roman flogging in these terms: “The sufferer’s veins were laid bare and the very muscles, sinews, and bowels of the victim were open to exposure.” He was taken to a praetorian where a crown of thorns was slammed down upon His head. He was mocked by a battalion of six hundred men, hit about the face, and spit upon. He was then forced to carry a heavy bar on His bleeding shoulders until He collapsed. When they reached the sight of crucifixion, He was again stripped naked, laid on the cross, and six-inch nails were driven into His forearms just above the wrists. His knees were twisted sideways so the ankles could be nailed between the tibia and the Achilles tendon. He was lifted on the cross, which was then dropped into a socket in the ground, and left to hang in intense heat and unbearable thirst, exposed to the ridicule of the crowd. Jesus hung in unthinkable pain for six hours while His life slowly dripped away. Nightmarish, just as He had predicted. After Jesus was laid in a tomb, He rose from the grave, just as He said. Hallelujah! As we think about all Jesus went through, the most important question is, Why did He make the journey to Jerusalem? Why, when He knew what awaited Him? He could have turned around. So why did He go? First, Jesus went in loving obedience to His Father’s plan. He said earlier in the text, “So that what was written in the prophets will be accomplished.” Hundreds of years earlier, Old Testament prophets...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A18-30&version=ESV (Luke 18:18-30) Many things can get in the way of a person following Jesus Christ and entering into His kingdom. For instance, I recently had a conversation with a man whom I was just getting to know. He was dying of cancer, and it was imminent. When I asked him about his faith, he said he had some faith. However, as the conversation went further, I discovered Jesus doesn’t fit into his faith equation. The man is basically agnostic. I shared the Good News with him and told him how much Jesus loves him. But he just shook his head and said, “I’m settled in and don’t want to rock the boat.” It seems he wants to remain in charge of his destiny. Maybe it is his pride; I don’t know for sure. He believes he’s okay with life and the future as it is. I pray daily this man has an epiphany. I just finished reading an excellent book by Pastor Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods. It talks about obstacles, the idols of our culture, that get in the way of having a meaningful relationship with God. Some of them are power, love, sex, success, as well as money and possessions (a big one). In our text from Luke, Jesus gives us an example of this. A certain young ruler approaches Jesus and asks, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”Perhaps he was a ruler of the synagogue, a member of the Sanhedrin Council, or a community leader. We don’t know what kind of ruler this man was, but we do know he was someone with authority. He was used to telling people what to do and being in charge. Let’s examine his question. Good Teacher. Jesus’ immediate response to him is corrective. “Why do you call me good? Only God is good.”He is pointing out that the title “good” is reserved for God and God alone. Upon first reading, one might wonder if Jesus believes this ruler sees something more in Him. Is Jesus winking at him as He responds to the man’s question – “Hmmm. I think you’re getting it.” But according to the end of the story, this is not the case. Instead, Jesus gives a brief lesson on proper reverence for God on humility. This man has a superficial view of goodness. Only God has ultimate goodness. No one else has the right to call themselves good. Jesus is telling him to watch his talk. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”Eternal life It means living in God’s kingdom now and forever, living under God’s rule and His promises. Jesus has been telling people to repent and enter the kingdom under God’s rule. But this man asks, “What much I do to inherit eternal life?” These words reveal distrust, a need to stay in control, an inability to live dependant upon God’s promises alone. No humility there. He wants to earn this merit badge and add it to his collection of possessions. When you think about it, his question is rather strange. You don’t do something to inherit something. To inherit something means to receive it as a gift, especially in matters of salvation and eternal life. It has to be done for you. Jesus responds to the man’s questions using the same logic of doing something to receive an inheritance. “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,murder, steal, bear false witness. Honor your father and mother.’”Notice what is missing in this list: the first commandment (no other gods before me), the second, third, and tenth commandments on coveting possessions and greed. The ruler nods and says to Jesus, “I’ve kept these since my youth!” I find this response to be rather humorous. It’s like he is saying, No problem, Jesus. I’ve nailed those down. I’m so good! How is that for pride and blindness to one’s shortcomings in love and life! But Jesus can see this man’s soul as He looks into his eyes, and He responds by saying, “One thing is holding you back.Sell everything you have, give it to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven. (Come follow me.)”The man went away very sad because he was very rich. It...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+corinthians+1%3A18-25&version=NASB (I Corinthians 1:18-25) It is an amazing truth that the people of our culture are curiously drawn to public scandal. He did what? She said what? We’re drawn to learn all the juicy details. Did he really take steroids? What kind of relationship were they involved in any way? Did he plan to sell his government position? Did the company executives cook the books to deceive investors? People involved in scandals are in the headlines almost every day from all walks of life. Famous people, politicians from both sides of the aisle, athletes, movie stars, TV stars, Wall Street tycoons – the scandals go on and on. Perhaps the scandals that draw the greatest scrutiny are religious scandals. The public revelation of hypocrisy by those who publicly profess faith, love, and loyalty to God yet experience great moral failure – pastors, church leaders, religious leaders. Scripture says, There, but for the grace of God, go I (restated 1 Cor.15:8-10). Another place in Scripture says, “Let he who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12).Scandal is defined as 1. A public disclosure of immorality or failure. 2. A widely publicized incident of allegations of wrongdoing, disgrace, or moral outrage. 3. An action or circumstance which now threatens to destroy the reputation, power, or position of a person. From a biblical standpoint, the word scandalum can mean to cause ruin, slip or stumble. Scandal is 4. An occasion of misfortune or the collapse of power coming through an individual’s sin. 5. An obstacle on the path over which someone stumbles 6. A sin that leads to an explosion of disaster. Most of the time in the New Testament, a scandal is an issue, which blocks the human relationship to God. An obstacle in coming to faith, or the cause of a person going astray from the faith. It either hinders faith or detaches the person from intimacy with God. Today I want to talk with you about the scandal of God. What if God was involved in a scandal? The apostle Paul in I Corinthians 1 says God is involved in scandal, the foolish scandal of a crucified God. What a paradox! The foolish scandal of the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is the ultimate paradox – the death of God, the death of the eternal King, the Messiah. The Old Testament says, “Cursed is the one who hangs on the tree” (Deut. 21:23).No wonder the message of the Gospel of Jesus is such an obstacle, such a scandal for Jewish understanding of a relationship with God. And yet, here it is boldly proclaimed – not only in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians but throughout the New Testament. The cross of Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. Let’s explore the idea of wisdom. When we think of wisdom, we might have an image of a wily old veteran or a wise old sage who knows all the tricks of the trade. He or she knows their way around the block. The classic Greeks defined wisdom as being fully and preeminently experienced to the point that the individual is adept in a specific skill. Wisdom is the mastery and superiority of learning, yet it is acknowledged as a gift of divine grace. Wisdom is a superior insight into the reality of life in this world that leads to a mastery of practical living. In fact, Socrates, the great philosopher, said: “Autonomous wisdom is no wisdom at all.” In other words, if wisdom, knowledge, and intellect are not applied directly to pragmatic life, it is no wisdom at all. Stoics believed that wisdom imparts individuals with the knowledge of the system of the cosmos. Therefore, wisdom empowers a person to live in harmony with the cosmos. It combines theory and practice. Therefore, wisdom is actualized knowledge, utilized knowledge. Gnostics believe wisdom is knowledge enabling a person’s soul to journey away from entrapment in this physical realm back to the purity of spiritual essence. They believe that human wisdom is the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A15-17&version=ESV (Luke 18:15-17) As one reads the Gospel stories, it becomes apparent that Jesus is very interested in people. He welcomes and cares about all kinds of people, and He makes time for all types – religious and irreligious, rich and poor, healthy and sick, old and young (even the very young). Today’s story tells us about Jesus and little children. The story gives us a heartwarming word picture of an approachable Jesus who cares about kids. Parents were bringing their children – even babies – to Jesus, according to our text. They wanted their children to be blessed by this celebrity rabbi who had gained notoriety for being a wonderful teacher and miracle worker. However, the disciples rebuked those parents. Jesus doesn’t have time for that. It’s a waste of His time and energy. He has a tight schedule! Their attitude was children were not important! Children in that society, of course, were valued and loved by their parents, but they were to be seen and not heard. Jesus used this scene for a teachable moment. He called those parents with the kids to Himself, perhaps motioning them to come near. Then He corrected His disciples with these words: “Let the children come to me. Do not hinder them, for to such belong the kingdom of God.” In Mark’s version of this episode, we are given a touching description of Jesus taking children in His arms and laying His hands upon them to bless them. I’ve seen some wonderful pictures by artists of this scene. Maybe you have too. It’s a heartwarming picture of Jesus playing with the children. This story teaches us a few lessons about Jesus’ relationship with kids and the kingdom. First, we learn Jesus wants children to be brought to Him. “For to such belong the kingdom.” They are important and precious in His sight. As the song says, ♬Jesus loves little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight Jesus loves the little children of the world.”♪ What is this “kingdom of God” Jesus talks about? It’s not a geographical place at all. And it’s not limited to heaven. When Jesus talks about the kingdom, He is talking about life with Him under His care, with His rule in our lives. He is our King. A personal relationship with God begins now and continues into eternity. Jesus wants children to have that too. I’m not here just for adults who believe they have everything figured out. I want the kids to know me and trust me. This, my friends, is very good news. And while it is good news, it is also a calling for us to take seriously. As a grandparent, one of my daily petitions is for my children to bring their children to Jesus so they will come to know Him and trust Him. I was thrilled when they brought their kids to the baptismal font to be adopted into the kingdom, but now the work of raising them in their baptismal covenant must be carried out. They must be brought to worship, Sunday school, and children’s programming. They must be read to from a beginners’ Bible and taught to pray. Someone needs to model what it means to follow Jesus. I am so thrilled my children are teaching them about Jesus! Julie and I believe our calling as grandparents is to support and pray for them as well as teach and model what it means to follow Jesus. It is important and obedient to bring our grandchildren, whom we love so very much, to Jesus. In my church, we emphasized and invested heavily in children and youth programming. We recognized how important those beginning years are to establish a firm foundation in those kids’ lives. Most of them made their decision about Jesus before they graduate from high school. Hundreds, even thousands of kids, have met Christ Jesus over the years at church. It takes a committed congregation, as well as committed parents, to raise a child to
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17%3A11-19&version=ESV (Luke 17:11-19) Cary Grant, a famous movie actor from a long time ago, once told how he was walking along the street and met a guy whose eyes locked onto him with excitement. The man said, “Wait a minute! You’re, you’re . . . I know who you are; don’t tell me! Hmmm. Rock Hud . . . . No! You’re . . .” Grant thought he’d help him so he finished the sentence. “Cary Grant.” The man argued, “No, that’s not it. You’re, you’re . . .” There was Cary Grant in all his glory identifying himself with his own name, but this fellow did not recognize him. He had someone else in mind. The Bible has a verse about Jesus which states, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize him” (John 1:10).We see a bit of this being played out in our story today of Jesus and the ten lepers. In the past, I’ve frequently preached on this narrative at Thanksgiving services. In fact, it is the chosen Gospel story for Thanksgiving in the church’s lectionary. On the surface, it seems appropriate because it looks like a Thanksgiving type story. But I propose something more important is going on here than remembering to say thank you. It is true that Jesus seemed to appreciate the show of thanksgiving from the healed man. However, I’ve come to believe this story is more about recognizing Jesus for who He really is and then responding in faith and praise. Let’s take a look at it again. Jesus and His disciples are walking along the border between Judea and Samaria. He is headed to Jerusalem where a cross looms ahead for Him. He will suffer and die on a cross to save us from our sins, to carry out God’s salvation plan for the world. On the way there, Jesus was approached by ten men who had leprosy. They stood off in the distance and cried to Jesus for mercy, which is also interpreted as pity in some translations. People with leprosy were considered outcasts of society and were quarantined. No one wanted to catch this horrible skin disease, which caused pain and even loss of limbs. It also carried psychological losses, such as loss of family, personal worth, community, and dignity. According to Jewish law, they were required to keep their distance from healthy people. This is the reason these ten stood at a great distance from Jesus as they cried out for mercy. Why were they calling to Jesus? They obviously had heard about Him and His healing powers. Hoping He might heal them, they cried, “Lord Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Surprisingly enough, Jesus answered their cries. I love the fact that Jesus noticed these outcasts and had mercy on them. He has a heart and passion for hurting people. His latest healing miracles had caused some conflict and criticism. But Jesus being Jesus couldn’t help Himself, and He showed compassion to these hurting individuals. Besides, Jesus’ disciples might learn from this experience. With a voice that rang out with authority, Jesus said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests!” According to Jewish law, a person who had experienced healing from this disease must show himself to the local priest before returning to society. Jesus was intimating that these men were going to be healed. As they went, they were suddenly made clean. They were miraculously healed of their leprosy. Therefore, this is a miracle story. Miracles were clues to point to the kingdom of God being at hand in Jesus, who was the long-awaited Messiah of God. One of those lepers, who saw he was healed, turned back praising God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet giving Him thanks. Unlike the other nine, this man was awakened to something important in this encounter. So he turned back and fell upon his face praising and glorifying God in worship. Jesus’ identity had become all too clear to him. Luke editorializes at this point in the story. There is almost a parenthesis there – Now, he was a...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17%3A1-10&version=NRSV (Luke 17:1-10) A missionary working among children in the Middle East was driving her Jeep down a road when she ran out of gas. She had no gas can in the car, and all she could find was a potty chair. So she grabbed the pot from the chair and walked a mile down the road to the nearest gas station where she used it to carry the gasoline. As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her Jeep, a large Cadillac occupied by wealthy oil sheiks drove up to her. They were fascinated at seeing her pour the contents of the pot into the Jeep. One of them opened the window and said, “My friend and I, although we don’t share your religion, greatly admire your faith.” ☺ We talk about faith amongst ourselves and say things like, Keep the faith or Have a little faith. Today we see the disciples of Jesus asking, “Increase our faith.” I can identify with that plea, can’t you? Increase my faith, Lord. We sometimes find ourselves wishing we had more faith or a bigger faith. For instance, when it comes to witnessing – being bold for Christ in public – the thought of sharing one’s faith with someone else can be seen by many people as a daunting task. So we pray, “Lord, increase my faith.” Then we can do it. But when it comes to taking on a big project . . . Years ago, when my congregation was deciding to buy some land and relocate our church, it felt like a big leap of faith for us. I remember, as the pastor of that group, I felt not only exhilarated but also overwhelmed by the challenge and responsibility of it all. I prayed, “I believe you want this Lord, but it’s so big to consider. Increase my faith.” Speaking of big projects, some of us have brought children into this world and taken on the responsibility of raising them to trust and serve Jesus Christ. Some days, in our concern for them and knowing the kind of world we’re sending them into, we might find ourselves praying, Lord, increase my faith. A host of big things might cause us to join those first disciples in this request. A big project inspired this plea from the disciples. Jesus has just given them some instructions about how to live together as His people in the church. Overall He teaches that we are to be responsible for one another. We are to take care of each other’s spiritual welfare. The age-old question, Am I my brother’s keeper? is affirmed by Jesus. The truth is, no one follows Jesus alone. When we say yes to Christ, we are thrust into a family, not of our choosing, but the family of God. This is not always an easy task to live with because each follower of Jesus is a saint and a sinner. We can irritate and even hurt each other. Yet Jesus tells us today that we have a responsibility to each other. We are in this together. So what does that look like? In this first section of the passage from Luke 17, we learn that followers of Jesus don’t cause other followers of Him to stumble in their faith or fall away from believing. “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come,but woe to anyone by whom they come!”This is a serious warning from Jesus. He is saying, Listen, there are enough things out there to trip a person up in their faith walk. Don’t add to the list! We need to be careful to renew and not wreck the faith of others. Jesus adds, “It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble.”We can do exactly that in a variety of ways, such as teaching false doctrine or encouraging bad behavior in others either with our words or with our poor example. Pastors certainly need to take this statement to heart. We are given charge of guiding, growing, and guarding the sheep in our own congregation’s flock. Don’t let your flock be biblically starved and biblically illiterate. Nurture them in the one true faith....
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+7%3A7-9%2C+18-19&version=NIV (Micah 7:7-9, 18-19) Grace, mercy, and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ. Amen. If someone asked you, What is God like? how would you answer? If you asked a stranger on the street, Tell me, sir, what do you think God is like? how would they respond? How can any of us know God? There is a parable about some blind men who encountered an elephant and were asked to describe the animal. Each one gave a different answer. The first one, feeling his trunk, said, “He’s like a snake.” Feeling his white tusks, the second said, “No, no. This animal is like a sharp spear.” The third man, feeling his huge ears, said, “It’s like a leathery huge fan.” The fourth felt his legs and said, “He is like the trunk of a tree.” The fifth man, feeling the elephant’s side, described him as a great wall. But the sixth man, feeling his tail, said, “The elephant is like a rope.” Each man described the elephant based on their limited experience and exposure. Likewise, God is invisible to human eyes. How can we know what God is like based on our limited experience and exposure? What is God like? If we saw a glorious sunset, we’d say God is a master artist creating beauty with His power. If we saw a tornado rolling across the Midwest plains with destruction all around, we’d wonder, Although God is all-powerful, is He for us or against us? The great renowned scientist, Albert Einstein, once said, “I dance to the tune of an invisible piper.” He stands behind the universe. He is God. In C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Susan and Lucy are speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Beaver who are sharing all about Aslan the lion, a Christ figure. When they ask if Aslan is a man, Mr. Beaver replies, “Aslan, a man? Certainly not! I tell you, He is the King of the woods and the son of the great Emperor beyond the sea. Aslan is a lion. A lion. A great lion.” “Ooooh,” said Susan. “I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” Mr. Beaver replied, “Of course he isn’t safe, but he is good. He is the King, I tell you.” What is God like? The prophet Micah lived about 700 years before Christ. Like all the prophets, he spoke a word of truth and warned of possible doom and judgment to the people. He begged them that if they persisted in their patterns of immorality, unfaithfulness, spiritual arrogance, injustice and mistreatment of the poor, they would be in danger of suffering the consequences of their wrong deeds. But like all the prophets, he also spoke of God’s power to deliver, God’s love and mercy inviting them back. He is the basis of hope. What is God like? How does He reveal Himself? God wants us to know Him. Found in creation, He is the master designer of great, infinite intelligence. Think of the harmony of the universe, the planets in orbit around the sun, the rhythm of the seasons, the interconnectedness of the human body – between our intellect, our lungs, our circulation system, our muscles, and our skeletal system. Think of the glory of the birth of a newborn baby. He is worthy of our praise. God also reveals Himself in miracles We love miracles perhaps because they are an interruption of the natural order by a supernatural touch of God to restore lost health, protect us from danger, work for our good. We love miracles that come as a result of answered prayer or our deliverance. It is also true to understand God revealing Himself when a person is going through great adversity or a dark period of their life. When God’s Spirit pours strength into the person to give them courage and peace to persevere when life is difficult, it speaks of God’s presence and power as well. God reveals Himself in changed lives. We know many people who have experienced a radical transformation of life because of...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+18%3A1-15&version=RSVCE (Genesis 18:1-15) Christians have been referred to as “Children of Promise” in the New Testament. When someone receives Jesus Christ into their life, they receive a rich inheritance of promises from God. Here are a few of my favorites: They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,they shall mount up with wings like eagles . . . (Isaiah 40:31).I am the resurrection and the life.He who believes in me, though he may die,yet shall he live (John 11:25).Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).My list can go on and on. Maybe you have a few go-to verses of your own as well. God has given us some great promises to stand on and trust. Sometimes, however, trusting in these verses is not such an easy thing to do. Our faith gets shaken. We find ourselves struggling over God’s promises and not trusting in His abilities. We can experience seasons of doubt, which bring questions demanding more than pat answers. We don’t feel close to God, and His promises sound empty. Many things can cause this doubting. • Circumstances seem out of control. • Trials, which never seem to end. • Prayers, which seem to go unanswered. • Impatience with God. • Friends who question and even ridicule your beliefs. If you have experienced doubt in your walk with the Lord, please know this: you are not alone. This is not unusual. Many of us go through periods of doubt and uncertainty when life throws us a curveball. I have had my own moments of crying out, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” During these times of weakness, I am especially grateful for the family album, that is, the Bible. It is where I receive encouragement and renewal of my faith in God’s faithfulness in His abilities. The biblical narrative shows me again and again that when my faith is small and I am filled with doubts, I am in very good company. Our biblical ancestors were human beings just like you and me! They, too, faced many ups and downs in their faith life. They had days when they wondered if they could really trust God or if their problem was too big for Him to handle. Where is God? Does He see what’s going on down here? Can we really take Him at His word? Such is the case in our reading from Genesis today. Abraham and Sarah struggled to believe in God’s promise given 24 years earlier to give them a son. He also promised them land and their descendants would become a great nation and a blessing to the nations of the world. Abraham and Sarah received the promise with joy and faith. When God told them to go, they moved to the Promised Land in Cana. They anxiously looked forward to having a son even though they were quite old and had given up on the idea of having children. But as the years passed, they still had no child. And they weren’t getting any younger, either. Abraham was 75 and Sarah was 65 when they first received the promise. Now they were becoming more stooped over with age, losing some teeth and energy as well. Time passed by quickly, and they began to wonder if God perhaps had changed His mind. Maybe He couldn’t make this happen. So finally they took matters into their own hands. As was the custom of those days, they used one of their servant women named Hagar to bear Abraham’s child. This action on their part proved to be disastrous and caused conflict and heartache for all concerned. Twenty-four years after God initially gave the promise, He once more said to Abraham, “You will have a son. You will have many descendants.” Abraham fell on his face and laughed – only this time it was a cynical laugh. Lord let’s be realistic, he said. I am almost 100 years old and Sarah is 90. I’m too tired to even keep trying to have this child. But God promised it would happen. In today’s scriptural text, God visits Abraham and Sarah and gives them the same promise. I will come to you in the upcoming season, and Sarah shall have a...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A1-12&version=NRSV (Luke 12:1-12) A young man decided he wanted to work at a lumberjack camp on summer break. It was hard work but good money and would help him pay for college. However, his parents did not want him to take the job. They worried about what might happen to his faith and his morals. He is such a good boy, raised in the church to trust Jesus and follow Him. Can you imagine what might become of him in a rough place like that? What will he be exposed to? It could be so hard on him. They prayed and prayed for his spiritual welfare to stand up under the pressure. When the young man came home one weekend in midsummer, his mother expressed her concern for her son’s faith and mentioned how she had been praying for him. When she asked how he was being treated as a Christian, he replied, “Don’t worry, mom, I’m okay. They still haven’t figured out that I’m a Christian.” One of the hymns I love to sing in worship is, “Standup, Standup for Jesus.” It is so inspiring. Another song I love to belt out is, “I Love to Tell the Story.” The volume and enthusiasm of the singing in church go up when we sing those two hymns. But when the worship service is over, I wonder – do we actually stand up for Jesus? Do we really love to tell the story? It’s fairly easy to do these things in a worship service when we’re with other believers, but outside of the church building, it can be a bit intimidating. Things can get in the way of standing up for Jesus. Things like, • Fear. We fear being rejected and ridiculed by others, and losing precious relationships. • Spiritual laziness. Why should I get so deeply involved with someone? • Bad theology. It doesn’t matter. We all worship the same God anyway. We are all saved. • Inadequacy. I don’t know what to say to that person. I don’t want to mess it up. What if they ask questions I can’t answer? • Shyness. Some are very intimidated about sharing their faith around others. You can probably add a few more reasons to my list. Many of us cringe at the thought of speaking up for Jesus. But Jesus tells us in today’s passage, I’m counting on you to go public for me, to speak up for me, and share the news of what I’ve done for this world. Testify to the difference I’ve made in your life. Show my love and compassion to those who need to be touched by My love. Speak out against injustice and values that clash with my kingdom. Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat the task in our passage today. He says it won’t be easy. In fact, it will be difficult. At times, you will be tempted to hide, run away, or hold your tongue from speaking on my behalf. You may even deny your faith in me before other people when the pressure is on. Some people will speak against me; others will blaspheme the Holy Spirit by calling this kingdom talk evil and opposing the gospel message. Therefore, they will be hard on you. You could be rejected by loved ones and persecuted for speaking up for Him. You could be brought before rulers, synagogues, and other authorities on charges of blasphemy for sedition against the government. So Jesus lays out some important facts for His disciples to consider. His first bit of instruction is a word of warning, a heads-up. Remember whom you’re playing for, no matter how frightened you may be of others. Who is your most important audience? At the beginning of this story, thousands of people were crowding around to listen to Jesus. But He speaks to His disciples first, not to the crowd. This is a teachable moment. Perhaps the disciples liked popularity too much. Maybe they were acting extra-religious before the crowds. Success can bring about pridefulness and it can become tempting to play for the crowds. When you find yourself willing to do anything or say anything in order to be popular, it can become a playground for Satan. Jesus knew that. So He cautions the disciples to beware of the hypocrisy of the
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke++20%3A9-19&version=ESV (Luke 20:9-19) Recently, I was listening to an interesting yet disturbing interview on public radio. The interviewee was an author who had recently written a book about the rise of the “nones” in America. It appears that many, especially of our younger generation, are drifting away from the church and the faith. More and more people are marking “none” when asked about their religious affiliation on forms. “Basic tenets and doctrines (of the faith) are being questioned and set aside,” this author said, “in favor of establishing a more personal spirituality.” A couple of years back I had my staff read a book that was similar to this one. It describes some of the thinking of these “nones”. It said that Jesus and His exclusive claims are sometimes rejected in favor of a more pluralistic outlet, of being more open-minded, tolerant. So when I heard this interview, I wasn’t surprised, just once again concerned, disappointed, and a little heartbroken. I can’t help but wonder how God feels about all this. People are constructing their own spirituality, rejecting His Son, or treating Him merely as one of many great teachers, but no more. They take on more of a buffet-style of faith. Jesus gives us a bit of insight when He tells this parable just a few days before He went to the cross. He’s in Jerusalem now. He’s been hailed as a King by many on Palm Sunday. He has upset the Temple and driven out the money changers. His journey to Jerusalem is over, and the shadow of the cross looms ahead. It’s Tuesday, and by Friday He will be nailed to a cross and suffering. On Tuesday, we find Him teaching in the Temple. There is some hostile opposition to Jesus. The religious experts – Scribes, chief priests, Pharisees, elders, and other leaders now want to get rid of Him and kill Him. So they asked Him where He gets the authority to do the things He has been doing. There was a challenge in their tone. Who does He think He is to overturn the tables in the Temple and drive out money changers? In response, Jesus tells this parable, which is all too easy for them to understand. The owner of a vineyard rents out his land to tenants. He’s to get a share of the fruit produce each year. But something goes wrong in this arrangement. Each year when the owner would send a servant to collect the fruit of the harvest, the tenants would treat that servant shamefully – even violently – and send him back to the master empty-handed. Year after year this happened. This gracious and patient owner finally said, “What should I do? I know, I’ll send my beloved son. Surely they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw the son coming, they plotted amongst themselves and said, “Here comes the heir. Let’s kill that son and declare ourselves owners of the vineyard.” So they drove the son out of the vineyard and killed him. This story is a historical parable. It’s more of an allegory about the history of God’s relationship with Israel, His chosen people. He had chosen them to bear fruit to the glory of God. They were the vineyard. They had been called a blessing to be a blessing to the families of the world; to seek justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with their God. To be a light to the nations. Instead, they were rebellious and disobedient. No first-century Jew of the time could’ve missed what Jesus was talking about in this pointed parable. God is the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard is Israel, blessed and called to be a blessing, to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. The parable smacks of the prophet Isaiah’s vineyard song in Isaiah 5 where God laments His vineyard, Israel, which was yielding sour grapes, and He’d have to destroy it. The tenants are the leaders of Israel, the kings, the religious elite. The servants are God’s prophets who came to tell them that God was looking for fruit from His people, fruit of obedience and love. Each one of them was treated...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+16%3A19-31&version=NRSV (Luke 16:19-31) A subject Jesus liked to spend a great deal of time talking about was money and possessions. Approximately one out of eight verses in the Gospels deal with this subject. Of the parables He told, twelve of thirty-eight are about money. Jesus knew the dangers of money and possessions – how they can ruin our relationship with God and our neighbors when it becomes the focus of our lives. Whether we are rich, middle-class, or poor, money can blind us to that which is most important. Today in our text, Jesus is telling a story regarding money. It’s about a rich man and a poor man. This story is divided into three parts, and the first part is about two men. There was a rich man who lived an extravagant life. He had the best of everything: the finest clothes, the best food, a beautiful home with a gate out front to keep the riffraff out. He had it all, and he carried on a sumptuous lifestyle. There was also a man named Lazarus who was very poor. He was a beggar and sought to live off the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. In other words, he was looking through the rich man’s garbage for his next meal. Lazarus was suffering. He had sores all over his body, and the dogs licked the sores, which made things all the worse for him. He couldn’t defend himself. He was destitute. The second part of the story is about the deaths and destinations of these two men. Lazarus died and was carried away by the angels to Father Abraham’s side in heaven. The rich man died and was buried, in all likelihood, with all sorts of pomp and circumstance. It was an extravagant funeral. But he woke up in hell, Hades, a place of torment. An interesting conversation takes place in the final part. The rich man makes two requests of Father Abraham. First, he says, “Father Abraham, would you send Lazarus down here to cool me off with some water. It’s hot down here.” Interestingly, he saw Lazarus as less than him still, that he should be serving him. But Abraham responds, “No, you had it all before. Now things are different.” Please note – Lazarus was not in heaven simply because he was poor. He was where he was because he had a relationship with God, and God had a heart for the poor. Abraham went on to point out to the rich man, “Besides all this, a great chasm is between us, and no one can cross back and forth.” This is a permanent situation, so get used to the heat. Realizing all was lost for him, the rich man then requests, “Then please send Lazarus to warn my five brothers who are living the same way I did.” Abraham replies, “No, they have Moses and the prophets.” “But a resurrected person would move them to repent and change their ways,” the rich man said. “A resurrected person will not convince them to listen to God. They must listen to God’s word,” Abraham said. It’s interesting to note that Jesus had already brought the widow’s son in Nain back to life. In John 11 He will also raise His friend Lazarus back to life. And He himself will rise from the dead. Still many would not believe, repent, and turn to Him. This story has one main point. (Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly truth.) The main truth can be summed up with this theme, STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN, just like we tell our children. It is not meant to be a treatise on what the afterlife looks like (though we do know from Jesus there is a judgment day, a heaven, and a hell). It is not intended to give us a view of how hot hell is, nor is it an attack on rich people (though it was told to the disciples with Pharisees, who were lovers of money, overhearing.) Jesus’ purpose was to move them to repentance and finally enter into God’s kingdom. This parable is not teaching us that the way to heaven is by being poor. Nor is it teaching us that we can earn our way by doing right things. Scripture is clear that a person is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+43%3A1-7&version=NASB (Isaiah 43:1-7) Grace mercy and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen. What or who is so valuable in your life, you would give your own life away – sacrifice yourself – to protect them or to achieve your overriding goal? Isaiah 43 shows us a profound truth from the heart of the eternal Almighty God: each person on the face of the earth is precious and important to God. You are precious and important to God. You are precious and important to God, first because you have been created by Him, gifted and beautiful for His purposes. Recently our daughter Heather and her husband Greg had a new baby boy, Louie Robert Wencl. It was fascinating that in the aftermath of the arrival of this little boy, our daughter Heather felt compelled to apologize to the nurse in the delivery room. “I just want to say I’m sorry for the things I might’ve said during the intensity of the pain of labor and delivery,” she said. It seems that in the middle of her contractions she said, “I can’t do it. Just pull him out. Just pull him out.” And at another time she said, “I’m not sure how this baby is going to come out, but he’s not coming come out this way!” We might laugh at what her pain-induced comments would bring, especially you ladies who have had the joy and privilege of giving birth to a child. But the truth is, this little child born to them resonates with the profound truth for the birth of every child – life is precious and important. It is God’s gift. You are precious and important. The day you arrived, God sang in the heavens because you were born! You have a distinct and important purpose in the overall eternal plan of God. You are gifted for God’s purpose. You are as unique as the fingerprints on your hands. You are precious and important because God created you and gave you life. Second, you are precious and important to God because He has redeemed you. If someone were to kidnap your child, your grandchild, or a dear friend, what would you give to get them back? What would you be willing to pay? We talk about redeeming a pop bottle or a pop can. That is, the original manufacturer of the bottle or can now wishes to redeem it back. God paid the cost to redeem you so you would be brought back to Him. Implicit in the word “redemption” is the cost of being delivered from that which holds you back, from being reconciled. It also means a release from bondage. In the word, we understand what it means to be restored to our original intended purpose. God has redeemed us, but at what cost? How precious, important, and valuable are you to God? He was willing to give His very own Son. Jesus, who was as all-powerful as God, willingly gave up His divine power, authority, and privilege to humble Himself. He came to where we are to sacrifice His life so we might be redeemed. Our sins and rebellion have been atoned at the cost of Jesus’ life. He bought our freedom. Wouldn’t it be a paradox if someone paid the price for a person who is in prison to go free, yet the prisoner chose to remain imprisoned in the jail cell? God says you are precious and important by the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary’s cross. You’ve been redeemed. However, you are also free from the power of sin to live a new life and be restored to your original purpose. The third reason you are precious and important to God is He has called you by name and declares you belong to Him. “You are mine,” He says. Now the overarching truth of Jesus reconciling the world to Himself becomes specifically personal when God comes to us through the Holy Spirit. He whispers our name as He calls us to His love, into a relationship where, by faith, we share our journey of life with God day by day. We are not only redeemed, but we also are called by God the Father to belong to His family and live the journey of life belonging to God every day. The fourth...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A1-10&version=NRSVCE (Luke 15:1-10) I recently watched the rerun of a movie entitled Saving Private Ryan. It was quite a hit in the theaters years ago. I enjoyed it then, and I enjoyed it again. The movie is about a platoon of soldiers during World War II who have been given the assignment of finding a certain Private in the war zone shortly after D-day. The reason was his other two brothers had been killed in battle, and Private Ryan was now the one remaining son. The military powers that be felt it was necessary to get the last surviving son home safely to the family farm. The entire movie is about the search for Private Ryan – the obstacles this platoon of soldiers faced and overcame, and the philosophical discussions and arguments between them about the value of one person. Was this mission really worth risking their lives? It took great sacrifice to find him, but they finally did. This movie has a powerful theme regarding the value of life. Jesus paints for us a saving-Private-Ryan type of picture in today’s parables. He told these stories to His critics to explain God’s purposes and the depths of His love. The religious elite of the day had been criticizing Jesus. They didn’t like that He associated with crooked tax collectors, traders, and notorious sinners of the community – people who are considered real scum of the day. (I imagine if Jesus were to appear today, we would find Him among drug dealers, thieves, pimps, and other despicable types, and we would scratch our heads.) People in Jesus’ day expected the Messiah to come, of course, but not this! Certainly, the Messiah would never hang out with such unclean and undesirable types of people. Jesus seemed to almost be attracted to the morally corrupt. He ate dinner with them, which was a symbol of acceptance. His attitude mystified those highly religious Pharisees and scribes. They questioned the legitimacy of His ministry and complained about His actions. So Jesus responded with a couple of stories. The first story was about a shepherd with a hundred sheep. At the end of the day, he counted the sheep and found one was missing. So he left the ninety-nine with an associate and went out to search for the one missing sheep. When he found it, he rejoiced, placed it upon his shoulders, and carried the sheep all the way home. Once he got home, he called the neighbors and had a celebration party. Jesus said This is what happens in heaven when a lost person is found, when he repents and comes home to the heavenly Father. God celebrates. Then Jesus went on to tell another story of a woman who had ten coins and lost one. She turned the house upside down looking for that one coin. Finally, she found it. She was so thrilled that she called everyone around the neighborhood to come celebrate with her. Jesus said This is what happens whenever a lost person comes home. Heaven celebrates! With these parables, Jesus justified His actions to those who had been criticizing Him. He was, in essence, saying, Lost people matter to God. In fact, everyone matters to God! God loves each and every one of us and wants us for a relationship. The God who sent us Jesus is the heavenly Father who longs to have His children back home again. He created us for Himself, and He loves us. Someone once said these parables don’t set out to present the Gospel but to vindicate it. Jesus is defending His association with lost sinners by saying they matter to God. A common thread runs throughout these two parables. First, something very valuable is missing. Then an all-out search is made to find the missing item. Finally, when it is found, there is great joy and celebration. Likewise, our Father in heaven looks at us as very valuable individuals. To the world, you may be just a name on a computer, or a printout, or a number in a phonebook. But to God, you are valuable. You are His creation and precious in His...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A9-14&version=NRSVCE (Luke 18:9-14) Many years ago, I was on a plane headed to Montana. My mother was deathly ill in the Billings hospital, and I was headed home to be with her, my dad, and my sister. I had brought a book along to keep my mind off the situation at hand and make the time go by fast. I planned to quietly keep to myself on the flight, but I guess God had some other plans for me. Seated next to me was a talkative woman in her mid-50s. She introduced herself to me as Diane, and before long we were having a conversation. She told me about her background. She had lived a fairly difficult life with some broken relationships and disappointments along the way. When she learned I was a pastor, she told me that, although she was very spiritual, she was not in a church and felt no particular need to be part of one. “I figure I’m doing good enough.” Of course, that statement opened the door for me to turn the conversation a bit. So I said to her, “That’s interesting. Can I ask you a question – if this plane went down tonight, do you think you would go to heaven?” “Sure,” she replied with confidence. When I asked her on what basis she was so sure about her answer, she responded, “Because I’ve lived a good life.” If you were sitting in my seat at that time, what would you have said to Diane? Nothing? Maybe nod your head in agreement, or change the subject? Well, Jesus told a parable for Diane and for us as well. Remember, Jesus’ parables are earthly stories containing a heavenly truth. Luke 18 contains a wonderful, life-saving truth. Let’s examine what is called, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In this story, two people had come church to pray following the atonement sacrifices made in the temple. The first one had lived a very good life. He worked hard to keep every letter of God’s laws and statutes. He was a Pharisee, part of an elite group known for their deep religiosity. The second man had lived a very bad life. He was a local tax collector (also known as publicans) who were known to be swindlers and cheats. People regarded him as a traitor against his own people, for he worked for the hated Roman government, which had taken over the country. This man came to pray in the temple knowing he didn’t have a leg to stand on before a holy God. Two prayers were being offered in this parable, and they were very different from each other. The first man stood in the front of the congregation and prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” He’s saying, Lord, look how good I am! I’m so much better than anyone else. I’m sure you and I are good with one another. It was almost an attitude of, God, you’re lucky to have me on your team. He was self-righteous, presumptuous, and arrogant in his prayer, very full of himself. His attitude reminds of a statement written by a pastor and author John MacArthur. “Some people get so caught up in their own holiness that they look at the Trinity for a possible vacancy.” Meanwhile, the publican (tax collector) stood far off in the back. He knew he was not worthy to come close to the altar or the other worshipers. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven, but beat on his chest, which was a sign of contrition and anguish in the Middle East culture. “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” he cried. His prayer was reminiscent of Psalm 51, written by David. He knew his uncleanliness, his sinfulness before this holy God to whom he prayed. So he came in deep contrition and faith in the mercy of God. So we have it: two men with two prayers. Jesus ended the story by saying there were two answers to these men’s prayers. One man – the tax collector – went home justified. He made right with God, forgiven and accepted. But the Pharisee did not. Jesus concluded, “All who exalt themselves...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+18&version=NRSVACE (Luke 18:1-8) I recently read a wonderful novel entitled, “Ordinary Grace.” In a scene in the story, Nathan, who is a pastor, says to his friend and congregant, Emil who has just made a failed attempt at suicide, that he would be praying for him. Emil responds, “That’s about as useful as throwing a penny down a wishing well.” I fear there are many Emils in the world with the same attitude about prayer. People struggle with prayer – starting with it and staying with it. I’ve seen it in my years of shepherding people in my church and sometimes even in my own life. There are a variety of reasons for these obstacles and struggles. Unanswered prayer, for instance, causes one to give up on it and on God. A pastor friend of mine, who I have always admired, admitted to me in a conversation, “Prayer really is a mystery and a struggle for me to understand. I have more questions than answers about it, so I struggle with keeping at it myself.” Personal pride enters into the picture. I can take care of things myself. Many Christians think they can run the race of faith on their own power. Someone said, “When we don’t pray, it is primarily because we don’t sense our need for God.” What is it about us that we think we don’t need God? Oftentimes it is pride. Prayer is seen as a last resort in many people’s lives. When all else fails, pray. So, of course, we don’t develop the habit of praying regularly. Some of us don’t pray because we’re not really sure how to pray. Therefore, we never do it. All this carries a danger with it. It can hurt one’s spiritual health and cause us to lose our focus on God. We miss out on getting to know Him better. A personal relationship with God brings peace and power as we learn of His faithfulness in all circumstances. Not praying is actually deadly to our faith. Jesus knew this so He told His disciples a parable about the importance of praying. We find this parable attached to a conversation Jesus was having with His disciples about the rough times ahead for them and for all disciples in the future as we wait for Christ’s second coming. Luke tells us that Jesus told this parable to encourage them to pray always and not lose heart. It’s been entitled, The Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge. “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.”He was shameless, had no respect for anyone, was crooked, and gave his attention only to those who could offer him something under the table. Otherwise, he ignored people who came to him for help. In the city was a widow who was been taken advantage of by someone – an adversary perhaps, a landlord – who knows? She needed justice. She needed help. Widows in those days were vulnerable and high on the to-be-protected-in-society list in the Old Testament. She had the courage to approach the judge in his court, which was male-dominated, and plead for justice but he ignored her, for she had nothing to offer him. For a while, he refused but she kept after him. Finally he changed his mind. “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” Jesus then gave a commentary on the parable. “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?”Jesus is asking a rhetorical question of us, and He is using a teaching method that’s called, “How much more?” If this corrupt, uncaring, atheistic judge can be convinced to do something for the widow, then imagine how much more your God, who is the complete opposite – who is good and just and loves you – will respond to His chosen ones when they come to Him in prayer. Notice how Jesus describes the kind of praying we do: “crying day and night,” fervently, passionately,...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+31%3A31-34&version=NIV (Jeremiah 31:31-34) Grace mercy and peace are always for you from God and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. Life is full of promise. In our human relationships on a daily basis, we make promises to one another. Especially in our love relationships, we speak promises that deepen the bond of our hearts. The deepened trust that fills us with joy and peace but also fills us with love, which defines the relationship of life we share. The Bible also speaks of promises. It uses the language of covenant. A covenant is a mutual agreement between two or more parties, which binds them together and defines their relationship. A mutual promise is a covenant. The Bible actually speaks of six covenants: ✡ The Abrahamic covenant. ✡ The Mosaic covenant made between God and His people at the base of Mount Sinai after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt. ✡ The Priestly covenant and the whole vision of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. ✡ The Deuteronomic covenant. ✡ The Davidic covenant: God promised King David that a Son of his would sit on the throne and rule in peace and glory forever. This is what gave rise to messianic hope. And finally, as Jeremiah’s passage in this prophecy speaks of . . . ✡ The New covenant that God would make where all would know Him, His law would be written on their hearts, and He would forgive their sins. We believe this covenant is fulfilled in Jesus our Savior. In Old Testament times, nations entered into Suzerain covenants. These treaties provided a relationship between a strong king and country, and a weaker king and country. The weaker would agree to pay the stronger the terms of a covenant in order to gain their protection or to appease them so that the stronger would not obliterate them. It was a covenant between unequals, a covenant of mutual accountability. If the weaker country and king did not pay up or keep the terms of the covenant, the stronger king and country would punish the weaker or even destroy them. The Mosaic covenant made at Sinai is a covenant of mutual accountability. The language is conditional. If you obey the terms of this covenant, then God will bless you. If you do not obey the terms of this covenant, then punishment and curses will follow. This is the language of the Mosaic covenant. It is conditional upon the faithfulness of God’s people. There are three covenants in the Bible where God guarantees the promise: ● The Abrahamic covenant ● The Davidic covenant ● The New covenant, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The New covenant is not just new in time, but also in quality. It is superior to all other covenants and, therefore, makes them obsolete. God has offered it, God has promised it, and God’s power makes it happen. The terms of the covenant cannot fail or change. They are fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior. That is the Good News – that in the name of Jesus, every promise God has made to us in the Scriptures finds fulfillment. It is sealed and guaranteed in the blood of Jesus Christ. In response to God’s new promise, we say to God, I believe your promise is for me. I gladly receive your Spirit in a relationship of trust. I am glad to be in a covenant with you, the living God. Life is full of broken promises in our human experience. Ever heard someone say, “Cross my heart and hope to die”? People have a hard time keeping their word. ☞ “I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.” ☞ “I promise (even though I didn’t meet the deadline) to get it done for you by tomorrow.” Maybe the most significant broken promises are those made between a man and woman on their wedding day where they say “I promise to love you forever” or, “I will always be faithful to you”, but as the months and years pass, something is broken and the covenant falls apart. Why do people break their promise? ✗ Maybe they never intended to
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A13-21&version=NIV (Luke 12:13-21) There was a man who had worked hard all his life and saved all his money. He was a real cheapskate and loved money more than just about anything. Just before he died, he said to his wife: “When I die, I want to take my money with me to the afterlife. So I want you to place it all in the casket with me.” His wife promised do as he wished. At the funeral, while he was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black next to their best friend. When they finished the ceremony, just before the morticians were ready to close the casket, the wife said, “Wait a minute!” She took a shoe box she had brought with her and placed it in the casket. Then the funeral director locked the casket and rolled it away. Her friend whispered, “I hope you weren’t crazy enough to put all that money in there with that stingy old man.” She said, “Yes, I promised. I’m a good Christian; I can’t lie. I promised to put his money in the casket with him.” “You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?” “I sure did,” said the wife. “I got it all together, put it into my account, and I wrote him a check.” We are talking about money today. Some of us have a lot of it; some of us don’t. Most of us wish we had more. Many of us are kind of private about it while others don’t mind flaunting it. Many of us are uncomfortable talking about it or having someone approach us about it, especially in church. But Jesus talked about money a lot. Almost half of His parables were about how to handle one’s money and possessions. In the Gospels, one out of ten verses deals directly with the subject of money and possessions. Why do you suppose that is? Jesus knew what a dangerous hold money can have on our lives. It can become an idol, a substitute god. We can be prone to pursue, worship, and serve it at the expense of our health, our relationships with family and friends, and, most importantly, God. Money is probably God’s chief competition for our hearts. It holds the most potential to become a God substitute for us, because it offers us what we want so dearly in life – security, satisfaction, and significance. These are the very things God wants us to depend on Him for. So Jesus talked about it a lot. A money issue was brought to Jesus in today’s passage. Two brothers were having a squabble over the family inheritance. (You know the old saying, Wherever there’s a will, there’s a family.) One of them said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” While Jesus refused to get in the middle of this squabble, He used the man’s request as a teachable moment. First He offered some wisdom, a warning – “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Then Jesus told a parable to illustrate His statement. “The land of a rich man, produced a bumper crop, making him even wealthier. He thought to himself, What am I going to do, for I have no place to store my crops. I know! I will build new and bigger barns to store it. Then I will sit back and tell my soul to eat, drink, relax, and be merry. That night God spoke to him and called him a fool because his time in this world was now up, and who would get all his stuff? You have lived your life foolishly. The Old Testament defines a fool as one who ignores God and makes unwise, destructive choices. So by using that title, God is pointing out to the rich man, This sums up exactly who you are and what you have done with your life. You have lived it foolishly. Notice the words the rich man uses repeatedly in his statements to himself. First of all, “I.” What should I do? I have no place to store my crops. I will do this: I will pull down. I will store. I will say . . . Then there’s the word...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A36-50&version=NRSV (Luke 7:36-50) If you want people to really listen to what you have to say, tell them a story. People love stories. Jesus knew this well, and so He told parables to puzzle people, to get them to think, to convict, encourage, and awaken them to kingdom truths. Each of His stories had a purpose and an intent. It can be said that Jesus’ parables are an earthly story with a heavenly truth. Today’s parable, which has one of those heavenly truths, was told as a result of something that occurred at the dinner table at a home in the city of Nain. Earlier that day, Jesus had raised a young man back to life. He had also done quite a bit of teaching. Simon, a Pharisee, was considered holy and very religious – a leader in his community. He invited Jesus to have dinner with him and his friends in his home. He had obviously heard talk around town about Jesus being called the prophet of God after raising a dead boy back to life. Simon may have gone out to hear Jesus teach that day and wanted to know more about Him. Most likely, Simon probably wanted to test Jesus by asking Him some difficult questions. He was a bit skeptical of Jesus, and, in all likelihood, was probably threatened by Him as were the other Pharisees. Jesus did not teach like they did. Therefore His popularity and His teachings could erode the Pharisees’ influence and leadership. In those days, people ate in a reclining position at the dinner table. Jesus would have positioned Himself on His side in front of a low-sitting table with His feet sticking out behind. Typically, with a celebrity like this, the front door was left open so observers could listen to the conversation. One of these observers caused quite a stir. It was a woman from the community who had a soiled reputation. As she came up behind Jesus, she knelt down and, with tears rolling down her face, she washed His feet with her tears. Next she let down her hair, which was considered very inappropriate public behavior in those days, and dried his feet with her hair. She had brought an alabaster jar of expensive ointment and put the ointment on Jesus’ feet and kissed them without saying a word. To the shock of others, Jesus let her do this. In fact, He even looked pleased about it. Simon, though, was horrified and critical toward Jesus. He thought to himself, Now I know, He can’t be a prophet. Otherwise, He would know her sinfulness and refuse to let someone like her even touch Him. She is a sinner with a capital “S”! He definitely is not a prophet from God. Ironically, Jesus read Simon’s mind, which must’ve startled him. ‘Simon, I have something to say you.’ Simon replies, “Teacher, speak.” (Calling Jesus, ‘teacher’ might have been a bit of a put down, for it implies that Jesus is only a teacher in Simon’s mind, an equal at best.) Jesus tells him a short parable. A certain moneylender had two debtors. One man owed him a little – a couple months’ wages; another one owed him a lot – 10 times that amount. When they could not pay, the lender canceled the debt of both of these men. Jesus paused and then asked Simon, “Which one of them would love the moneylender more?” Simon said, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” Jesus replied, “You have judged correctly. Do you see this woman? You didn’t even do me the small common courtesy of washing my feet when I came in; she washed my feet with her tears. You gave me no kiss to welcome me as you would any other guests, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil as any hospitable host would do, yet she anointed my feet with her ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loves much, just like the greater debtor in the parable.” Then Jesus added, “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Perhaps this was a jab at Simon. She recognized Jesus for who He was – the Son of God who has...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (Luke 13:18-21) This looks like a lost cause! Have you ever made or thought this statement? Maybe it was in the middle of a home project like remodeling or landscaping that wasn’t going well. Perhaps you decided to fix something around the house and now you’re in a fix. O, this looks like a lost cause, we think. Maybe a project or a situation at work isn’t going well. It’s giving you fits and not coming together. I have that experience now and then in my line of work. Most pastors will tell you they can experience a sermon block – like a writer’s block. It sets in and the sermon just cannot get going or will not come together like you want. You feel like quitting and finding something else to preach. This sermon is a lost cause! Trust me; it happens to most preachers. Perhaps you are struggling with a difficult relationship. No matter what you try, it is painful and does not work. So you sigh and think to yourself, This looks like a lost cause. I’m sure you could add a few more ideas to my list, because we’ve all been there. When this happens, it brings on a sinking feeling of discouragement and makes you want to just give up and say, This is a lost cause. I quit! Jesus addresses this kind of thinking in today’s parable. Perhaps His twelve disciples look discouraged about this mission they’re on with Him, feeling it is a lost cause. They have been on the road with Jesus for some time now and had bought into His message that the kingdom of God – God’s rule and reign over the world – was present and He was the bringer of the kingdom. They had left behind their professions to follow Jesus and were expecting some great things – maybe a political take over or a major movement of some sort, but it’s not happening. As they observe Jesus teaching and healing, the little faith they had in Him gets shaky. The disappointing results were not meeting their expectations, and it was looking more like Jesus’ ministry was a smalltime operation. There were no fireworks except those from the rejection and hostility of the religious establishment as they criticized Him and His message. They didn’t like Him and even accused Him even of being of the devil when he did a miracle. He was misunderstood and rejected by outsiders like the Samaritans. Politicians were suspicious of Him and didn’t like Him. Threats against Jesus were made. Crowds showed up to listen to Him, but no one dropped everything and followed Him like they had done. Some small steps were being made in the villages they visited – like healing miracles and casting out evil spirits, which brought a lot of speculation, amazement, and quite a following. But they seemed so insignificant in comparison to what they had in mind when it comes to kingdom building. They must’ve been wondering, What is going on here? What have I got myself into? We’re not doing so hot. This kingdom stuff isn’t happening like I thought it would. It’s not taking off. Very few of our hearers are repenting and few are following us. If God’s kingdom has come, why does it feel like we’re moving two steps forward and three steps back? And where’s God in all of this? God, don’t you see what’s going on? Have I been on the wrong horse? Maybe I ought to just pack up my stuff, quit following, and go home. These thoughts had to have been running through the minds of the disciples. If you are a follower of Jesus, maybe you’ve even fallen prey to this kind of thinking yourself. You look around at the condition of the world today, and it looks like things are getting any better. Or you observe the church of Christ – its workings and its failings. The news can sometimes be so dark and frightening that it can cause us, as Christ’s followers, to shrug our shoulders and despairingly say, Christianity appears to be a lost cause. Evil seems to be winning over good. Morality, mercy, and righteousness seem to be...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zephaniah+3%3A14-17&version=NASB (Zephaniah 3:14-17) Were you aware that God’s heart holds no greater joy than to surround you with His love and power, to whisper His love to you and sing for joy because you are His? God desires you to trust His heart and reciprocate His love as He holds you close. What motivates a soldier to go into battle? What motivates a warrior to fight? In John 15:13-14a, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . . ,” Jesus said. In America this week, we celebrate our independence and the freedom we enjoy as citizens of this country. We would do well to remember, freedom is never free. We owe a great debt to the men and women who, through the years, have served in the armed services or sacrificed their lives all over the world so we might live free. I think about the major wars in recent history all the way back to World War I where men froze in the trenches through the winter. Or World War II, where thousands of men sacrificed their life on the beaches of Normandy as they crashed to the coastline of France to gain a toehold on the continent of Europe, drive back the enemy and ultimately win the battle for the world. I think of the battle in Korea, the war of Vietnam, the Gulf wars, and the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq. I think of how terrorism percolates up all over the world in a senseless destruction of innocent lives. Wherever it happens, men and women rise to fight for freedom and justice. They fight to protect the innocent and maintain the safety of citizens. We need to remember, freedom is never free. It comes at a cost, and it is worth fighting for. It involves self-denial and sacrifice. In the heat of battle, it might even include the spilling of blood. Men and women have died so we might live free in this land. I am grateful as we celebrate our freedom. People of faith, however, also remember the Bible is full of images where the verses describe God as a warrior who does battle for us. God rescues us. He defeats our enemies. Jesus saves our lives, our souls. He forgives our sin and reconciles us to God the Father. Ultimately, God is the warrior who fights to win our hearts. The Old Testament shares numerous stories of battles where God’s power gave the people victory. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, the major saving event happened when God sent Moses to face Pharaoh. God’s people were being held as slaves in Egypt, but Moses did not fight Pharaoh with an army. God used elements of nature to bring ten plagues upon the nation of Egypt and convince Pharaoh of His power. Pharaoh finally said “Go. Go from my land. I give you my freedom.” But then he had the audacity to chase the Israelites into the desert. Pharaoh and his army mounted on horses and chariots and pursued them, armed to the teeth to destroy them. God used the Red Sea to defeat Pharaoh, drown the enemy, and give God’s people great victory. Remember the battle of Jericho? Joshua and the Israelite army encountered a fortified, thick-walled city with God’s power going before them. God instructed Joshua to march around the city once a day for seven days. Then, on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times, blow the trumpets, and shout praise to God. The walls of Jericho tumbled down, and God’s power gave them victory. Do you remember when Goliath, the giant with the Philistine army, day after day brought challenge to God Himself and the Israelite army? The Israelite army shook in their sandals. But then the boy David wanted to fight Goliath. As David went out to face the Philistine giant, he said, “You come to me with sword, shield, and spear. I come to you in the name of the Lord our God. The Lord will give you to me in victory this day, for the battle is the Lord’s.” David, the boy with a slingshot dropped the Philistine giant. The battle was the Lord’s. God was the warrior...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+14%3A7-24&version=ESV (Luke 14:7-24) When I was young kid, a familiar sound was often heard in my neighborhood about 5:00 p.m. It was the sound of my mother’s voice calling out, “Steve! It’s suppertime.” I would usually be playing with the neighborhood kids and within hearing distance. I cold heard her, but was busy playing, so I would ignore the call and not respond. A few minutes later she’d called again. “Steve, it’s time to come home! Supper’s ready,” but I would continue to play. If I waited too long, I might hear a final call. This one was tinged with frustration and quite a bit of irritation. “STEVEN EARL KRAMER! You get home right now or you won’t get supper!” That’s when I knew mom meant business, and I’d better hustle on home. Looking back on it, I’m sure mom would not have followed through on her threat. She had a lot of grace in her. I’m telling you this story because, as we continue our sermon series – Stories With Intent – we find Jesus telling a parable with a bit of the same sentiment and feeling. It also holds an irritated warning. Jesus is sitting at a dinner table with Pharisees and scribes. It’s the Sabbath, and He is their guest. He observed things going on around Him at this party and eventually shared His observations with them. They probably weren’t very happy because it was a very tough critique. To the other guests surrounding Him He said, I can’t help but notice you guys fall over each another trying to grab the place of honor at the table. Don’t do that! Humbleness is the name of the game. To the host He said, A very select group is attending your dinner. You seem to have invited only the rich and pious in your circle of equal status. Instead of inviting those who can pay you back, invite the poor, the lame, and the blind – those who cannot reciprocate. It pleases God, and you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. Ha! Tension must have filled the air when Jesus gave these criticisms. Perhaps a long, pregnant silence filled the room. AWKWARD! Who does He think He is, speaking to us like He is God or something! What does He know about the resurrection of the just anyway? At that point, someone at the table spoke up and made a statement, a religious platitude. “Blessed is everyone who will eat the bread in the kingdom of God.” He was referring to the great day of God’s salvation, which had long been anticipated by the Jewish people. The day when Messiah comes, all would be well. They commonly thought about the coming day of salvation as a great banquet as it was referred to in Isaiah 25. It would be a new day of peace and prosperity. God would be in charge. Experts among the Jews believed and taught that this kingdom would only be enjoyed by the Jewish faithful, meaning them. No sinners, outcasts, or unclean types would be allowed at the table – especially not Gentiles (the non-Jews of the world). “Blessed are those who eat the bread of the kingdom.” Why do you suppose this person made the statement anyway? Was it because Jesus said something about the future resurrection of the just and just needed to respond with something religious? Perhaps. As if he was saying, Resurrection day, Jesus? We’re in! When the role is called up yonder, I’ll be there. Yes, sir! Or was someone trying to ease the tension in the room as if to say, At least we can all agree that when the kingdom comes, it will be great, and we will be blessed. Perhaps, but if it was the reason, it didn’t work. In response to the man’s statement, Jesus told a parable, which had to have upset them all the more. It was the story of a man who once gave a great banquet and invited many people. His initial invitation was accepted by many at first, but when the man’s servant made the announcement that all was ready, it was met with excuses from the invited (weak excuses at that). The man’s generosity was treated with great...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A11-32&version=NRSVCE (Luke 15:11-32) It’s Father’s Day! Today is the day many of us honor and remember fathers with cards, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and with sentiments like, “Thanks dad!”, “I love you, dad!”, “You’re the world’s greatest dad!” are being given to fathers all around the world. Many of us, myself included, have had great dads. I have been blessed with a wonderful father who has shown me unconditional love through the years. He faithfully provided for me as I grew up, and he continues to be an encourager, a friend, and a great source of wisdom to this very day. As great as my father is, however, he would be the first to say he is far from perfect. We fathers have our imperfections and shortcomings in love and in life. Some are easily seen; others are buried deep inside of us. We are all sinful creatures. As I talk about fathers, I am mindful that my story is very different from others’ whose every thought of an earthly father is of pain. To those of you for whom this is true, I want you to know this: Grace and the love of God for you is found in our Abba Father. In today’s text, we find Jesus drawing a story picture of the world’s greatest Father. It is probably one of the more popular parables of Jesus. Some call it “The Prodigal Son,” others call it “The Lost Sons.” I propose we call this parable “The Story of the Prodigal Father.” The word “prodigal” means extravagant, lavish, spendthrift, generous, which describes the father exactly in this parable. By the way, this story is told in response to the grumblings of the religious people who are horrified as they observe Jesus welcoming tax collectors and other elements of society they considered lowlifes. He even sat at the table and ate with them! Everyone knew what crooks these tax collectors were. The Pharisees and scribes couldn’t believe that Jesus, a man of God, would give them the time of day, much less have table fellowship with them. Table fellowship was a very important matter in that day, for it implied acceptance. The Jewish leaders called Jesus’ actions and character into question because He did this. Jesus, aware of their grumbling and criticism, told them three parables. One was about a lost sheep, another about a lost coin, and then finally the parable we have today about a father who had two sons. Both of these sons broke their father’s heart. The younger son broke it when he rebelled. He wanted his independence and decided he didn’t want to live under dad’s roof any longer. So he demanded his share of the inheritance, which is the same as saying to his dad, I want you dead! He was selfish, insulting, and hurtful toward his father. Surprisingly, the father gave in to him, thereby putting the entire farming operation in jeopardy. He had to liquidate his assets, because his wealth was in the property. One third of the property and goods needed to be liquidated, which would create hardship for both the father and the eldest son. The younger son went off and squandered his inheritance in a faraway country. But when a famine hit, he wound up destitute and took a job feeding pigs for a local farmer (which is about as low as a Jewish kid could get). He then began thinking about home and how good he had it there. So he came to his senses and put together an “I’m sorry” speech: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Let me work for you as a hired hand.” He started the long walk toward home, not sure what kind of reception he would receive. After what he’d done, his father had every right to drive him away and consider him dead to the family. But as he neared the house, he saw a figure running toward him. It was his father who had seen the son coming off in the distance! It seemed his father had looked off into the horizon and saw his son’s familiar walk. As he got closer, he knew it was his son. He had compassion and
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A25-27&version=NRSVCE (John 14:25-27) I have a riddle for you today. Can you name what I am describing? It is something a widower longs for and needs as he tries to go on without their beloved spouse. It is something parents need as they strive to raise their children correctly in a dangerous world of temptations and distractions. It is something the employee longs for who is being harassed at work on a daily basis and awakens each workday with a sense of dread and foreboding. It’s something a teenager desperately needs who is struggling to fit in, make the grade in school, and feel good about herself. It’s something a small child needs as he watches mom and dad argue. It is something the world has never had since the fall of Adam and Eve and, it never will on its own as hard as it may try. So what is it? If you guessed peace, you are right! We long for peace in our world as political parties and nations rage against one another. We pray for peace in the lives of our loved ones as they face hardships. I have friends who battle depression and anxiety, and I pray they would receive peace of mind. We also desire peace in our own lives. Sometimes we get so troubled and worried inside – even fearful – in our fight to raise children, battle health issues, wrestle with financial issues, or struggle with relational issues. I just read an article saying Americans are among the most anxious people on earth. As one teenager put it in this article, “We’re the first-generation who cannot escape our problems at all. We’re like little volcanoes. We’re getting this constant pressure from our phones, from our relationships, from the way things are in the world today.” More people yearn for one thing more than anything else: inner peace. Without it they have no lasting happiness or security. You have to agree with me, life has gotten more complicated, and we are all looking for peace within. In today’s passage, Jesus is promising peace to His disciples in a not-so-peaceful situation, in a not-so-peaceful world that hates Him. The anxiety and stress hung thick in the air that evening in the Upper Room when Jesus announced He would be leaving them to be arrested and crucified on a cross. Little did they understand the cross was all part of God’s plan to save His sin-sick world. As Jesus tells them He’s leaving them, He also tells them they can’t come along. Of course, this made them feel troubled and afraid. They were filled with anxiety and fear. They had to be thinking, Leaving us? No! We’ll be on our own, abandoned, and alone. What will we do without Jesus? Oh, no! The disciples had been with Jesus for three years, and they had a special bond of friendship they did not want to end. So they responded with their questions. Peter and Thomas both asked, Where are you going? Philip said, Lord, show us the Father, and that will satisfy us. Judas (not Iscariot) asked, How will you reveal yourself to us and not to the world. These men were very afraid and anxious about the present and the future without Jesus. Jesus responds to their troubled hearts and minds with words of assurance. You will see me again someday. I am going to prepare a place for you in my Father’s house. I will come back and take you to me that where I am, you may be also. Nothing will end their relationship. He went on to promise, I am giving you another Helper to be with you forever – the Holy Spirit. I won’t leave you orphaned. I’m coming to you. Those who love me and keep my word, my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Finally, Jesus said these words that we read earlier: I said these things to you while I’m still with you, but the helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A44-53&version=NRSVCE (Luke 24:44-53) The temple area in Jerusalem was abuzz. People were talking and asking questions about the disciples of Jesus. They were saying things like, Those guys are different now without their Master around. They don’t even seem like the same men from a few days ago when they came to the temple with Jesus. As you read from the beginning of Luke chapter 24 all the way to the end, you can’t help but notice a change was happening in the disciples of Jesus. They moved from confusion, sorrow, and unbelief to great joy and faith. They were actually worshiping and praising God in the Jerusalem Temple! People had to have been scratching their heads and wondering, What in the world is going on with these guys? What’s come over them? After all, they had just gone through a horrific week watching the leader they trusted be crucified like a common criminal. Yet here they are praising God and being so joyful! What was behind those smiles, the praise, and the confidence that they exude? I would like to invite you today to use your imagination with me a little bit. Let’s say there was a newspaper in that day called “The Jerusalem Post.” This paper heard of the odd, fascinating behavior of the disciples of the crucified Jesus, which had people talking. Sounding like a great human interest story, the editors of this good newspaper sent a reporter down to interview one of the disciples around the temple area. The reporter stops James, the brother of John and asks him, What gives here, James? Your leader, Jesus, has been crucified! Why aren’t you going back home to Galilee, back to your fishing business? Why stay in Jerusalem? And why are you acting so happy and worshiping in the temple every day among the same people who actually called for the blood of Jesus? Tell me, James; the public wants to know! The reporter waits for James to respond. This is what I would imagine James would say: Well, we’ve been given a whole new outlook from Jesus, Himself. You see, Jesus is alive! I know you think He is dead, but we have seen Him with our own eyes. We’ve even eaten with Him! He appeared to us more than once or twice. So I’m here to tell you, Jesus was very dead, but He is now very much alive. We are praising God because He told us that anyone who trusts in Him will receive the gift of forgiveness and everlasting life. Earlier on He said, “Because I live, you shall live also.” God confirmed this promise for us by raising Him from the dead. So as a follower of Jesus Christ, friend, I am heaven bound! Of course it makes me happy! Besides that, the risen Jesus has explained everything to us now. He led us through an in-depth Bible study, which was a real mind opener and changed our perspective on all that happened. He said to us, “These are my words I spoke to you earlier that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened our minds to understand the whole of Scripture saying, “Thus it is written that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.” Jesus helped us to understand that all of what has happened is a part of God’s plan. Even the cross was no accident, and neither was the resurrection. You see, “must” is the key word here, which Jesus used a lot. All that happened to Him must happen because it is part of God’s plan. Earlier on He told us three times, “I must go and suffer and die, and on the third day, rise.” He kept saying, I must do this and I must do that. We didn’t understand then what He was talking about, but now, now we know He was carrying out His heavenly Father’s plan. He filled us in on how the whole Old Testament points to Him. He is the fulfillment of God’s promises for the world, His rescue plan. He took us back to Genesis where God told Abraham, “I will bless you and your descendants to be a blessing to all the families of this...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A7-10&version=ASV (John 10:7-10) Grace and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. All our lives, we have heard messages from the church the biblical truth that God loves broken sinners, and that is gloriously true. We stake our faith on this truth. But today I want to talk with you about the rhythms of the abundant life, which Jesus Christ offers to all believers. Where and how do we experience transformation and newness in the presence of the Holy Spirit? First, we experience the abundant life when we drop our baggage. It has been my privilege as a Christian pastor to listen to people share their life stories. So many people carry heavy burdens. Have you ever carried something very heavy for a long distance? Sometimes, until you put it down, you don’t realize how heavy it was or even that you were still carrying it. The Word of God says, “Cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). So many people have wounds from past hurts, difficult experiences of childhood, broken relationships, loneliness, feelings of resentment, guilt, shame, a cloud of grief over lost loved ones or even self-hatred. Jesus has forgiven you. The One who went to the cross forgives us so we might be empowered to forgive ourselves. Please know this: The abundant life Jesus offers us can never be lived by looking through the rearview mirror. Press forward, believer, and experience the abundant life Jesus has in mind. The second area to experience the abundant life is when we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. This past Easter Sunday, some of our family was home for the holiday. In the afternoon, the grandchildren flew kites in our backyard. Glorious color rose to float in the blue sky empowered and lifted up by the wind. The kites had no power to fly on their own; it was the power of the wind that lifted them to soar. So also in our Christian life. We don’t have the power to become all God intended for us to be without the indwelling and life-giving power of the Spirit. Breathe it in. Confess to God so you may receive it gladly. Ask God to show you where the Spirit’s power needs to be released so you might be lifted up to new rhythms of life. Acts 1:8 says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be my witnesses.” Sometimes the Spirit comes like a dove gently resting on our soul, or like oil anointing our body, flowing over us, till it covers us with the fragrant scent of God’s perfume. Sometimes when the Spirit comes, it’s like standing under a waterfall. The sheer force, exhilaration, refreshment, and cleansing of the Spirit as it pours over us is amazing! God’s promise to St. Paul was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in your weakness” (II Cor. 12:9). Three times Paul asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh. What was it – a secret sin? A physical illness? A character flaw? A nagging temptation? We’re not sure. But we know this truth that God said, My grace is more than adequate for what you wrestle with. More that than, God’s power is made perfect in our human weakness. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. I have a friend who works in prison ministry doing spiritual retreats. He tells of a friend he met in one of those retreats – a Christian businessman who says, “I’m on a first-name basis with the Holy Spirit. So I just call Him ‘Holy.’ Do you know the Christian country song, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”? The Christian businessman says, “Each day I surrender to the Spirit’s leading and ask Jesus’ Spirit to take the wheel. So I climb into the passenger seat of my life. I look over, and Holy is in the driver’s seat. Do you know what? Holy is a crazy driver. He says to me, ‘We’re going to Russia.’ I tell Holy, ‘I’m too busy; I don’t have time.’ But now I’ve made multiple trips over there to share the Gospel. Holy says, ‘We’re going to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+13%3A31-35&version=NRSVCE (John 13:31-35) I recently attended an event held by the local historical society. I don’t typically go to those kinds of things, but I was invited by a friend who knew I would find it interesting. The speaker that night was the curator for the Minnesota Twins baseball team. (I am a huge Twins fan.) This man, named Clyde, had been with the team a long time, and he had some fascinating stories to tell about some of the players, owners, and managers he had gotten to know. One thing he taught us as baseball fans was how to tell whether a signed baseball or jersey was authentic. He explained it would have certain marks that would tell the truth. He talked about hologram tags and other signs to look for. It was fascinating! It got me thinking about the church. What would you say are the identifying marks – the hologram tags – of an authentic Christian? In today’s passage, Jesus tells us the answer to that question. Jesus is in the Upper Room with His eleven disciples (Judas has gone off to betray Him). Jesus tells them He is about to be glorified. With Judas’s departure, events were set into motion. The cross and resurrection were Jesus’ glorification, and the glorifying of God the Father. His perfect obedience – carrying out the plan of salvation – was His glorification. Jesus was also glorified at the resurrection. He was exalted by His Father, held up for all to believe and worship. This glorified Jesus. Later on, after the resurrection, Jesus told His disciples, “I’ve been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go make disciples” (Matt. 28:18-19). Jesus is identifying Himself as the Glorified One, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the One with authority. Jesus’ resurrection at Easter is the proof. Since Jesus really is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He deserves my trust and my obedience. This Glorified One wants you and me, as His followers, to carry out a new command. “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another.” The word “new” means literally fresh. Not that it’s absolutely new in time, but it’s fresh. What makes it fresh? We’ve been taught by the Lord Jesus about loving God above all things – heart, soul, strength, and mind – loving neighbor, even loving enemies. Now we see Him talking about loving one another, meaning the Christian community. He’s talking to His disciples, the future Church. He knew the disciples very well – their selfish motivations, and their desire for personal status and greatness, their tendencies to live for themselves. In order to keep them together and carry out the Great Commission, they would need to truly work at loving one another first. Jesus uses the word “Agape” for love in this commandment. (Greeks used three other kinds of words for love as well.) Agape is not about emotions and affections, but is an act of the mind. It requires a commitment. It is a decision and a verb: To love. It means to sacrificially give yourself away for the sake of someone else. Upon closer examination, you will find all kinds of “one anothers” in the New Testament: Encourage one another; teach one another. They all stem from this new commandment: Love one another. But Jesus takes it a little further, which is what really makes it new. Love one another AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. A pattern exists here for us – founded in Jesus. As Jesus has loved us, love one another. Jesus had just washed their feet. It was the act of a servant in those days, a menial task, a lowly servant’s job. Yet Jesus washed the feet of His disciples in the Upper Room prior to making this statement. He also loved them in the everyday routine of life with His patience and His kindness. He shared all He had heard from His Father with them. He showed them the Father’s love. His love also involved the heroic. He laid down His life in love for them. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A22-33&version=ESV (John 10:22-33) A painful thing in life, which people struggle with, is the matter of insecurity. I suspect we all have an insecurity or two rolling around in our heads and a variety of questions we wonder and worry about: • Am I doing good enough at work? • Have I saved enough? • Have I done a good job of raising my kids and taking care of my family? • Am I pretty enough (or handsome) enough? • Am I smart enough to do that? • Will my health be well enough to take care of myself as I get older? • Is my heart well enough to avoid a stroke or heart attack? • Do my kids love me enough to take care of me if I need their help? • When I die, will my spouse have enough money and capability to take care of herself (or himself)? • Am I safe enough in this troubled and violent world? • Have I done enough good to be received into heaven? The list goes on and on. Living in this broken world of ours makes it difficult to avoid having a few insecurities. Did you notice the word “enough” seems to be a major culprit in our insecurities? Our questioning? It implies a sense of inadequacy. One of my favorite preachers of God’s Word, Stuart Briscoe, said a number of years ago, “Deep down, we have a sense of individual insecurity to cooperate with other people.” Maxwell Maltz who wrote the book, “Psycho Cybernetics,” estimates 95% of people in our society have a strong sense of inadequacy. I have no difficulty believing that figure. My only surprise is why the other 5% aren’t feeling insecure. Jesus, in our passage for today, has some reassuring words, which have proven helpful for me in facing – even overcoming – insecurities in life. I’m sure you will find them helpful for yourself as well. The words stem from a conversation Jesus was having with some of His adversaries who are trying very hard to wreck His reputation and ministry. They even went so far as to do Him in once and for all. They surrounded Him in Solomon’s colonnade around the temple area and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense, Jesus? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus responded to them by saying, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you refuse to believe because you are not among my sheep.” Then Jesus speaks these wonderful words about the blessing of belonging to Him as one of His sheep. My sheep hear my voice. So many voices speak out to us, offering misguided, harmful information that can harm us saying, Follow my advice and wisdom, and I will show you how to live the good life. Satan is always busy seeking to make a wreck of our lives and destroy us. He throws temptations our way and says, Go ahead! Give into it. You will enjoy it. Nobody will get hurt. You deserve it! Jesus promises to speak into our lives. He is our Shepherd. Though usually not audibly, He speaks to us as we open His holy Word. He assures us of His love. He shows us His way. His voice is a voice of wisdom and truth, which protects me, guides me, and gives me real life. It is the voice of real love reassuring me that I belong to Him. I recently read this story by David Prince. I know a family who adopted an older child from an unspeakably horrific orphanage in another country. When they brought her home one of the things they told her was she was expected to clean her room every day. She fixated on the responsibility and saw it as a way to earn her family’s love. In other words, she isolated the responsibility and applied it to her existing frame of thinking, which was shaped by life in the orphanage. Thus, every morning when her parents came to her room, it was immaculate. She would sit on the bed and say, “My room is clean. Can I stay? Do you still love me?” Her words broke her new parents’ hearts. Eventually the girl learned to hear her parents’ words as their unconditionally beloved child who would never...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A1-19&version=ESV (John 21:1-9) “Do you love me?” This question is asked in almost every human heart. We all have a deep need to feel loved and to know we’re loved. We need to hear that we’re loved. “Do you love me” can be a painful question for us to be asked, especially when it comes from those with whom we are close. It implies we have not communicated our love very well. When a wife asks a husband, or a child asks a parent this question, it’s painful. I am reminded of a funny story I heard about a Scandinavian couple named Ole and Lena. Scandinavians are not exactly known to be very demonstrative. Well, Ole and Lena had been married forty years, and Lena was barely surviving on a starvation diet of affection from Ole.One day she broke down at the dinner table and said, “Ole, do you love me?”Ole responded sternly, “Lena, when we were married, I told you I loved you. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”Poor Lena. ☺ “Do you love me” is a question being asked by Jesus in today’s story. It was early morning a few days after Jesus had shown the disciples that He was resurrected from the dead. Seven of the disciples had been out on a fishing trip all night. A misty fog hovered over the waters as they headed toward shore with no fish to show for their efforts. They had gotten skunked. Suddenly they saw this figure. Someone was standing on shore and shouted out to them, “Catch any fish, boys?” “No, they responded. Then He told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat and they would get some fish. Surprisingly, they did! The next thing they knew, the net was full of big fish, and they were having trouble hauling it in. John, who liked to call himself “the one whom Jesus loves,” said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” Peter immediately jumped out of the boat and swam to shore on his own leaving the others behind with a huge catch of fish. He’s in a rush to get to Jesus. When they got to the beach, they saw Jesus who was cooking fish and bread over a fire. “Bring some of your fish and let’s eat breakfast together,” Jesus said. They sat with Jesus around the charcoal fire quietly eating breakfast, but they didn’t dare ask Him Who are you? for they knew it was Him. It strikes me as odd that they’d even want to ask the question for they had already encountered Him twice since the empty tomb, according to John’s Gospel. He was obviously transformed physically in some way after the resurrection. Then came Jesus’ question to Peter – and not once, but three times. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The first two times Peter responded, “Yes, Lord. You know I love you.” After the third time, Peter was grieved. “You know everything! You know that I love you.” I wonder, if something was coming back to him as he smelled that charcoal fire. He was being asked this question in front of everyone else. It’s like he had been in this place before. It was uncomfortable. Notice also, three times Jesus also gives a commission, an important job, to Peter. “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.” In other words, Take care of my Church and bring others who are not yet in the kingdom of God so they might know Me and be rescued for eternity. It is important to notice of what is actually happening in this scene. Peter, you remember, denied knowing Jesus three times as he stood around the charcoal fire in the high priest’s courtyard the dark Thursday night when Jesus was arrested and stood trial. A rooster crowed after the third time, just as Jesus had predicted. Now Peter stands among the other disciples and three times he is publicly asked, “Do you love me?” Three times Peter replies, “Yes,” and Jesus gives him an important ministry to carry out as a disciple. An absolution is, in fact, taking place. Peter is receiving forgiveness and grace as he is given a second chance and restored into the community of disciples. I think it was Max Lucado who...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+5%3A20-26&version=NIV (John 5:20-26) ♪Anybody here want to live forever, Say, I do.Anybody want to walk on streets of gold,Say I do.♬How can we live forever? Today I want to talk with you about time and eternity, about our human predicament and how Jesus came to change it all. I want to visit with you today about the eternal now, when the limits between this world and the next come down. By faith in Jesus Christ, we belong to the One whose name is the great I AM. So I ask you, when does eternity begin? Most people would say it begins when we physically die. But in John chapter five, Jesus says that the one who believes in Him has already passed from death to life. It has already become a reality. When we think about time and eternity, we find two different realms. The eternal, spiritual realm is without limit – infinite. But the realm of time within this created order means all of us who live here, live with limits. We have defined space. We live a designated period of years. Everything eventually comes to an end. Have you ever seen the animated classic children’s movie, Toy Story? The main character, Buzz Lightyear, cries, “To infinity . . . and beyond!” How long is eternity? How does one define infinity? It is hard to wrap our minds around forever – something without limits, without end. We are in such a time-obsessed culture. It is difficult for us to imagine anything besides finite time. Think about it. We have clocks in every room of our house. They are in our automobiles and trucks, on our computers and cell phones, even on our wrists. We are governed by time. We also live by the dates on our calendars. We have appointments to keep, deadlines to meet. Every year we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. Most of our energy and efforts go toward achieving temporary goals and attaining temporary possessions. We get wrapped up in the here and now. God, in contrast, is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. My finite brain can think about something that starts today and has no end, but it’s hard for me to grasp something that has no beginning; it just goes infinitely . . . to no beginning. God transcends time. He is above time. God created time when He created this beautiful world in which we live. Motivated by love, God – it says in Genesis 2 – created Adam and Eve. He breathed into them, and they became living beings. Whether we acknowledge it or not, there is an intrinsic interdependence between humanity and God. He has inspired us – literally, breathed life into us – and infused us with life. There is an intimate connection between the Creator and the created. We sing in our hymn, “Breathe on me, breath of God. Fill me with life anew . . .” So we live in this world in our physical bodies. They are God’s gift. But the Bible also says God’s Spirit resonates with our spirit (Romans 8:16). God has given us His Spirit. God has given us a soul. From the Greek “psyche,” It means the essence of our being. Theologically it means God has placed eternity with our breasts so we are able to know God relationally in His love. So we live life within time in these amazing bodies in the beauty of creation as God’s gift, but we have limits. We are finite beings. Further, we have a human predicament – death and eternal death (even worse). We live out our lives in a broken, sinful world. Sin is in everyone. It contaminates everything relationally. Sin is within me. It entered God’s perfect paradise through Adam and Eve’s disobedience. At that moment, physical death entered this world. Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” Therefore, our bodies age. We feel pain. We become sick and weak. Eventually we die, literally when the breath goes out of us. We are truly transient – just passing through. We are temporary.Most people live in fear of the eminence and certainty of our physical death. A musical group, Kansas, used to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A1-12&version=ESV (Luke 24:1-12) All around the world, today churches are filled to overflowing with people celebrating Easter. Perhaps folks outside the Christian faith are wondering what to make of Easter. What is the big deal regarding this Christian holiday? Maybe you are even asking this question as you listen today. So I thought I’d take a few minutes and respond to this question regarding Easter. Perhaps you’ve already noticed, I am using a lot of “re” words in this introduction, with good reason. You see, many “re” words jump out at us as we read this story. For instance, we first see a re-appearance. The women, having left the tomb on Friday, reappear on Sunday with spices to anoint the body of Jesus. It was a sign of love and respect for their dead friend – similar to us taking flowers to the cemetery. Our next word is re-opened. The huge stone covering the tomb was now rolled away and the tomb was reopened. The women went in and discovered the tomb was empty and the body of the Lord Jesus was gone. I once heard someone say the stone wasn’t rolled away to let Jesus out, but to let Jesus’ followers in to witness the emptiness of the tomb. Their friend was not there. Next there is re-proof. Angels appear and, in their fear, the women bow their faces to the ground before them. The words spoken by the angels are a reproof. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” I have to believe the angels were probably smiling as he said these words to the women. He perhaps had a look on his face saying, I can’t wait to tell you the big surprise I have for you. The joke is on you, silly ones: He is living! Next is the word re-vealing. He reveals to them the amazing news of what God has done. “Jesus is not here; he is risen,” which literally is translated, “He has been raised.” The One who was dead, the dying man they had watched breath His last on the cross as they stood off watching in the distance – Jesus, their master and friend whom they watched as He was laid in a rich man’s tomb – was now alive! Following the news they are given a re-minder. Before they could respond to this amazing news, the angel reminded them of something Jesus had said. “Remember how Jesus told you while He was still in Galilee that He must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day rise.” There are those words again: He must. It was a divine necessity. Jesus said it not once but three times. God’s divine plan for rescuing a sinful world had to be fulfilled, and now it has been accomplished with the resurrection. We are told the women re-membered the words of Jesus spoken earlier. You might wonder if we are seeing a bit of faith on their part in this story as they remember. Perhaps, they did have some faith, but it is difficult to see. Then the women re-turn from the tomb, and they re-call the experience to the disciples and all the rest. The last word: re-jection. The eleven disciples (remember, Judas is dead) rejected the women’s news. Their words seemed like an idol tale, and they did not believe them. By the way, I think all of this doubt on the part of the disciples gives the resurrection even more credence. No person would make up a story to get people to buy into it by using women as witnesses to the resurrection. They had no status in this patriarchal society. They could not even be witnesses in a court. Even if the women’s story was made up, wouldn’t you think the disciples would’ve responded affirmatively to make it more convincing? Risen? Of course He is! Jesus said this would happen. But their response was rejection. They thought the women were crazy in their grief, and they would not believe. Even Peter, who ran to the tomb and saw the folded grave clothes, only walked away from it marveling at what happened. No faith there....
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A32-43&version=ESV (Luke 23:32-43) A number of years ago, a member of my congregation asked if I would visit a friend who was in the hospital. He explained to me that his friend, Bob, was dying and had no faith to speak of, but he was open to talking about faith. So I went to see him. After introducing ourselves to one another and going through some small talk, I asked Bob about his spiritual history. Had he been raised in a Christian church? He said he had been baptized as an infant. However, his family was not churchgoers, so he knew basically nothing about the Christian faith. I asked him if he was interested in hearing about it now, and he said he was. So I asked, “Suppose you were to die today, Bob. Do you think you would go to heaven?” He said he doubted it. I followed up with another question. “Bob, if you were to stand before God and He would ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven,’ what would you tell Him?” Bob said, “Well, I guess I’d tell Him I tried to do the best I could.” I then responded, “Bob, hearing your answers to those questions, I have some really good news to share with you today!” We had a wonderful conversation about the Gospel message. I shared the Good News of what Jesus had done for him at the cross. I talked about faith and what it means to trust Jesus and turn his life over to the care of Christ. Then I asked if he’d like to do that right then, and he said he would. So we prayed together. He confessed his need for the Savior and asked Jesus to come into his life. When we were finished, I extended my hand to him and said, “Welcome to the family!” He smiled said “Pretty big family!” I talked a bit more about following up with him and left him some materials to look over regarding the Gospel and following Jesus. I left that day not realizing his time on earth was shorter than we thought. Not long after that encounter, I was told Bob had died. We gave him a glorious, hope-filled sendoff at his funeral! I tell you this story because our reading of Jesus’ encounter with the dying thief on the cross reminded me of it. Jesus had been led out of Jerusalem to a hill called The Skull where he was nailed to a cross and placed between two criminals – violent robbers – who were also hanging on their crosses. I can’t help but be reminded, as I think about this scene, of the prophecy from hundreds of years before in Isaiah chapter 53 where it says He was numbered with the transgressors. He was bearing the sins of many, though He was innocent. We don’t have details of the crucifixion. Luke didn’t feel a need to go into details because his audience knew full well what crucifixion looked like. But we do know it was a cruel and torturous way to die. As Jesus hung there in excruciating pain, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It takes us back to Luke chapter 6 where Jesus is teaching about the importance of loving your enemies. He now is living those words as He prays for His enemies. They don’t know the horrible evil they are doing in killing the righteous, holy One of God. (The apostle Peter would later tell them in the book of Acts chapter 3.) They were unknowingly carrying out God’s plan of salvation when they put Jesus to death. Jesus had come to die for the sins of the world. An ugly scene was being played out below Jesus as He hung on the cross. Soldiers were casting lots, gambling, dividing up His clothes, fulfilling another prophecy from Psalm 22. Everyone was mocking and taunting Jesus – the rulers, the soldiers, some of the people in the crowd who were watching – sarcastically saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” and laughing at the same time. A sarcastic inscription was posted above Christ written by Pontius Pilate: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Little did Pilate know he had written a truth. Even one of the criminals being crucified railed against Jesus, throwing insults in...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+19%3A1-10&version=RSVCE (Luke 19:1-10) Have you ever been written off as a hopeless cause by people around you or even by yourself? Have you ever written someone else off as a lost cause? If so, I’m glad you’re listening in because our story for today has something for you and me to take to heart. In our passage, we find Jesus closing in on Jerusalem where He will carry out the rescue mission for which He was sent. He’s passing through Jericho, which is only about twenty miles from Jerusalem. Now there was a man who lived in Jericho named Zacchaeus. He was Jewish, a chief tax collector for the Roman Empire, and very rich. We also learned Zacchaeus was short. He was physically short in stature. So short, in fact, he couldn’t see over the crowds welcoming Jesus as He came into town. So he climbed a sycamore tree to get a look at Jesus. Zacchaeus was short in a variety of other ways as well. He was short in morals. His name meant innocent and pure, but he was anything but. He shorted people out of their money. He worked for the government but tax collectors were known to charge people more than was required in order to make a profit for themselves and line their own pockets. They were cheats. Zacchaeus didn’t care about the poor or anyone else. He didn’t share his wealth with others. He was tightfisted with his money keeping everything for himself. He was successful, but he lived for making money and having the best things money can buy. Money had become kind of a god in his life. It was his security. He was willing to do anything to get it – even cheat his own people for personal gain, which brings us to the next thing Zacchaeus was short on. He was short on respectability in his community. Nobody respected him – or even liked him, for that matter. He probably was very short on friends. After all, he was working for the enemy to make his money. The Roman government at that time was the world power and his nation’s oppressors. He was forcing the people to pay taxes to support the evil Empire. So Zacchaeus was seen not only as a cheat, but also a traitor to his own people. Finally, Zacchaeus came up short in his relationship with God. He was living a life of disobedience to the commands of God. He stole, and he cheated. He was living for money and depending on it for security instead of God. He was ignoring his neighbors’ needs, the poor, and even his own people. He fell far short of living a righteous life before God. Zacchaeus had heard Jesus was visiting his community. He had heard some things about His miracles, His teachings that had people excited. There was also talk of Jesus being the Messiah sent from God. So Zacchaeus went to see for himself who this Jesus was and what He was all about. I wonder if it was just curiosity or perhaps a thirst within, a spiritual thirst. Even with all his possessions and wealth, was something missing for him? Was God already working in him? Only God knows the answer to that question. When Zacchaeus came to see Jesus, he was in for a big surprise, because, while he came to see Jesus, it turns out Jesus was already on the search for him! A life-changing encounter was about to take place in his life. Because he was so short, Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus coming down the street. So he ran ahead and climbed a tree to get a look at Him. Finally he can see Jesus approaching. But when Jesus was near, lo and behold, He stopped! He looked at Zacchaeus up in the tree and made a short statement that would change this small man’s life. “Zacchaeus!” How did He know his name? People had to be wondering. Zacchaeus had to be wondering as well! “Hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” The phrase “I must” speaks of divine necessity. It is used again and again, and it threads its way throughout Luke’s Gospel. It is spoken by Jesus. I must do this, and I must do that. He is under divine orders. Zacchaeus must have
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A18-27&version=NIV (Luke 18:18-27) Grace, mercy, and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ. Amen. Most people dream of having more money. Have you ever dreamt of being wealthy? We could sing with the character Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, “If I were rich man . . .” Would you like to be wealthy? If so, how much money would be enough. Would it make you happy? Improve your relationships? Be the basis of your security? Harvard Medical School psychologist Steven Berglas has written a book called, The Success Syndrome. He has found that individuals who, in his words, “suffer from success,” have arrogance and a sense of aloneness. Insider trader, Dennis Levine, was asked by his wife why he needed the money from insider trading, and he really had no answer. Levine says that when his income was $100,000 a year, he hungered for $200,000. When he was making a million a year, he hungered for three million. Berglas says that, oddly enough, people who find that $200,000 annually does not make them happy, never asked themselves why they thought $300,000 would make them happy. When asked to prescribe a cure for the success syndrome, Berglas said, “What’s missing in these people is a deep commitment or religious activity that goes far beyond just writing a check to a favorite charity.” Someone wisely said, “Money is a great servant, but a terrible master.” All my life, I’ve dreamed of what it would be like to encounter Jesus in the flesh, face-to-face. To have the chance to unlock His mind, or hear the passion of His heart, or learn more personally about the kingdom of God. The person in our story from Luke’s Gospel is called the rich young ruler. He was a man living the dream, and he had a personal encounter with Jesus. What do we know about him? We know he was rich, young, and a ruler. He was rich like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet of his time. The Bible says he was exceedingly rich. We know money does buy power, freedom, influence. It draws the admiration of others. But Jesus said, “It’s harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle” (Mark 10:25). In old Jerusalem is a place called Needles Gate. It is a low entrance in the wall where camels can only pass through if they are stripped of their saddle and all of their packs. Then the camel can go through the Needles Gate on its knees. It’s hard for a rich man to enter the place where God reigns without totally submitting to God’s authority and power, without being totally dependent upon God. As Christians we would say, without surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We need to strip off all that blocks us from trusting, following, and serving the Lord Jesus. To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ means we offer all our gifts, talents, and assets to serve Christ’s kingdom. This man was rich, but he was also young. All of life’s dreams are ahead of him. Adventure and opportunity abound on the horizon. He is healthy. The youth have a sense of invincibility and a vitality of life that throbs with possibility. This man was a ruler. He was blessed with a position of power, authority, and influence. He commanded others. This rich young ruler had it all! Moreover, he was morally upright. He told Jesus he had obeyed and followed the commands of God since he was a boy. This rich young ruler does not know Jesus is God, but he does know Jesus is a good teacher. He is a seeking soul on his knees before Jesus who has the answer to his problem. His life is so good, but he realizes it can’t last forever. All of us will die. So, on his knees, he pleads to know how his good life could last forever. “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” His understanding of eternal life was flawed. Eternal life, as the Bible describes it, is more than length of life. It is the quality of life. Eternal life also is not a flat...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+10%3A38-42&version=NRSVCE (Luke 10:38-42) Have you ever wondered how Jesus and His disciples spent their evenings? Where did they eat and sleep? I think they did a lot camping. After all, Jesus said to a potential follower, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). It sounds to me like most nights were spent out under an open sky around a campfire. Sometimes, though, somebody would welcome Jesus and His disciples to stay in their home. Such was the case in today’s story as we see them in the home of Martha. Luke begins our episode telling us Jesus and His disciples were “on their way.” This is Luke’s way of reminding us of the story’s context. Jesus had set His face to go to Jerusalem where He would suffer and die, and rise again to fulfill God’s salvation plan. This is where they were – on the way to Jerusalem – when a woman named Martha opened her home to them. Now, think about this: thirteen tired and hungry men entering her home for the evening. I’d say Martha was not only hospitable, but generous as well. Unfortunately, an uncomfortable incident took place in her home, as we see in the story. As it turned out, Jesus used it as a teaching moment. It was an unforgettable lesson, which the disciples remembered and Luke passed on. In my experience, people struggle a bit with this story. I’ve participated in Bible study groups where the argument has been whether Jesus was fair in His response to Martha. Groups have had the tendency to wrestle with the question, Am I a Martha type or a Mary type? What do I need to change? We tend to give Martha very low marks in this story. I have to confess, though, I kind of like Martha. She speaks her mind! Where would we be without Marthas who serve? As a pastor, I appreciate the Martha types I have been blessed with in my congregation over the years. They really get things done! Maybe we are being unfair to Martha. After all, hasn’t Jesus just held up service to our neighbors as a kingdom value in the story of the Good Samaritan just right before this little episode? What do you think? Is this story really dissing Martha? Is it telling us not to be like her – serving Jesus – and instead be like Mary who sat there? I personally I think it’s a shame to play these women against each other. After all, they were both friends of Jesus. They both had excellent qualities in the eyes of Jesus, and I’m sure Mary had as much of a servant spirit as her sister. So what is the point of this story? Let’s look at it again and see what really happened. After Martha welcomed Jesus into her home, she went all out to put together a lavish meal with all the fixings and get the place looking just right for Him. In Scripture it says, “Though she was distracted by all her preparations . . .” The word “distracted” means her attention was drawn elsewhere; it was not on her guest of honor. She was caught up in busyness to serve Jesus. I’m reminded of a story Pastor Chuck Swindol wrote in a book entitled, Stress Fractures. “I vividly remember sometime back being caught in the undertow – too many commitments in too few days. It wasn’t long before I was snapping at my wife and our kids, choking down my food at meal times, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions throughout the day. Before long, things around our home started reflecting the pattern of my hurry-up style. It was becoming unbearable for everyone. “I distinctly recall after supper one evening the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me about something important that had happened to her at school. She hurriedly began, ‘Daddy, I want to tell you something, and I’ll tell you really fast!’ “Suddenly realizing her frustration, I answered, ‘Honey, you can tell me. You don’t have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly.’ I’ll never forget her answer. ‘Well then, listen more
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=NRSVCE (Luke 10:25-37) When a new parent was asked by a friend what it was like having their first baby living in the house now, he replied, “Well, there’s never a dull moment.” How true that is! If you were to ask one of the disciples what life with Jesus was like, they probably would’ve said something like that. There’s never a dull moment. Just think of all they regularly experienced after they began to follow Him: amazing miracles; battles with demons; Jesus’ confrontations with the opposition; dinner parties with shady people; challenging assignments in some foreign, unfriendly territories; and fascinating conversations with all kinds of interesting people along the way. Such was the case as we read of Christ’s final expedition to Jerusalem in Luke’s Gospel. Jesus had many memorable encounters in conversations with various kinds of people who came to Him. His disciples had the privilege of listening and observing them. Obviously, they were impacted by these encounters because they later remembered them and shared them with other people. Eventually, Luke wrote them down for our benefit. These encounters served them well as part of their training to be Christ’s disciples. Jesus had called them with the promise of making them fishers of people, and they had a lot to learn. They needed to learn about the ways of the kingdom of God and how to attract people to repent and receive the kingdom so they might experience the new, abundant life Jesus came to give them. Last week we observed Jesus’ encounter with three admirers who said they wanted to follow Him. From that encounter, the disciples learned about the high commitment involved with following Jesus. Today we see Him having an encounter with a lawyer. This is not an attorney as we know them today. He was more of a biblical scholar, an expert on the Torah, the Law of Moses. This man came to Jesus with a question: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Now we might wonder if he is sincere in asking that question. Does he really want to know? Luke would say, Not really. He was simply putting Jesus to the test. He’s thinking to himself, ‘Let’s see how bright this Galilean rabbi really is!’ I bet I could teach him a thing or two. Let the games begin!’ In all likelihood, this lawyer was affiliated with the Pharisees, who were working to discredit Jesus with whom they had some run-ins already. Maybe the man’s intentions were to make a public spectacle of Jesus by getting Him to say something heretical that would hurt His reputation. Besides, it is a bit of a stupid question when you think about it. The nature of an inheritance is that you do nothing for it. You don’t earn an inheritance; someone gives it to you. Jesus patiently and kindly responds to this individual with His own question. “What’s written in the law? What do you read there?” (Notice, Jesus says He didn’t come to abolish the laws of God, but to actually fulfill them.) The expert responds with the statement that every pious Jew recited daily. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.” Then he added a statement from the Old Testament: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). The man’s response is sometimes referred to in Christian circles as the Great Commandment, and Jesus affirms him for it. “Good answer! Do this and you will live.” End of debate, now. Right? Nope. Not at all. The law expert doesn’t want to end this debate, because he is kind of losing. He wants to justify himself, look good in front of the crowd. So he asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” And Jesus tells a story – a story, which has become very familiar over time, even to those who profess not to believe in Jesus. It has been entitled, The Good Samaritan story. A traveler going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was robbed and beaten and stripped of...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A51%2C+57-62&version=NRSVCE (Luke 9:51, 57-62) It’s a new chapter! I recently retired after serving 38 years in pastoral ministry! People have made this statement to me: “This is the beginning of a new chapter, a new phase of life for you.” They also ask questions such as, “What are you going to do now, Steve?” “Do you have plans?” “What do you think God has in store for you?” A fellow pastor recently reminded me there’s no such thing as retirement in the kingdom of God. He is absolutely right! I still consider myself on call for the Lord. I don’t know the answers to these questions yet. But what I do know is this: I am excited about this new chapter and what God has in store for my wife, Julie, and me. In today’s passage, we see Jesus entering a new chapter of His life. He knows what God has planned out for Him. The cross lay ahead where He will suffer and die for the forgiveness of our sins. For the first 8½ chapters of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has been busy revealing himself as the Son of God, the Messiah of God, sent from above with power and authority to carry out God’s plans to rescue a sinful world for Himself. Jesus has done this revealing through His preaching and His miracles. God affirmed it to Peter, James, and John at Christ’s Transfiguration on the mountaintop. In today’s reading, we see Jesus setting His face to go to Jerusalem. This is a biblical way of saying He resolved, He was focused. He was determined to go to Jerusalem and accomplish that for which He had come. Luke’s Gospel narrative says it marked the beginning of a new chapter, a new phase in our Lord’s life. The days had drawn near for Him to be taken up by sinful and rejecting men, nailed to a cross in Jerusalem, and suffer and die as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He would pay the debt for my sin and your sin, which could not be repaid by us. But He would also be taken up from death, raised, and then exalted by God as the Lord over all things. This is Good News to build our lives upon. This is Good News. Trusting in what He has done for us, we share in His victory over sin, death, and the devil. We thank God He set His face to go to Jerusalem and we’ve been rescued. This is the context from which we will be working for the next few weeks of Lent in this series I’m entitling “Encounters.” Jesus is resolutely on His way to Jerusalem to be taken up. He is doing it to rescue us from our sin and the consequences of sin. On His Way, Jesus and His disciples will have encounters with various types of people to whom He will speak important truths about important things in life. These conversations hold valuable insights for you and me to discover and then apply to our own lives. Today we see the first encounter – three people who say they desire to follow Him. For some reason they were moved by Jesus. They admired Him. Maybe they had observed His miracles. Perhaps they had seen Him change the lives of those around them for the better. They had listened to His Good News about the kingdom of God being at hand. They were inspired, moved to say, I want to follow you, Jesus. This scene is repeated often, even in today’s world. A person is moved emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually in some way and says, I want and need to be with Jesus. Maybe she is at a worship service where Jesus is portrayed as the Savior she needs, so she says to herself, I need someone like that in my life. I need a Savior. I want Jesus. Perhaps someone has observed how Christianity has enriched a friend’s life. In an hour of need, they tell their friend, I think I need what you have. Maybe you are attending a large event. The speaker moves you to come forward for the altar call. Perhaps a light has gone on for you after reading or studying about Jesus on your own. Any number of circumstances can move people toward Jesus. It appears these three men in our text don’t quite understand
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A28-36&version=NRSVCE (Luke 9:28-36) I really thought I knew him. You might find yourself saying or thinking something like this after a disappointing experience with someone. They’ve let you down, disappointed you, betrayed your trust, maybe even broken your heart. I’ve heard a number of wives and husbands – brokenhearted by an unfaithful spouse – make that statement to me in my office. Or you might think this after a surprising, wonderful discovery about someone you thought you knew everything about. WOW! I didn’t know that about him. That’s great! I once heard a longtime church member say this after he had an awakening to the wonder of Christ and His grace for the first time. He had an encounter. These words could very well have been rolling around the mind of Peter in our text. Eight days earlier, Jesus had asked His followers who they thought He was, and Peter, speaking on behalf of the group, responded, “You are the Messiah of God.” These disciples had been witnessing Jesus’ power and authority again and again as He taught and healed, cast out demons and controlled nature. So Peter was definitely sure this was the right answer – Jesus is the Messiah. However, they didn’t expect the response they received from Jesus that day: Do not tell anyone. “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). These words shook Peter. None of it made sense. Messiahs don’t suffer and die; they win battles. They takeover kingdoms, overthrow Israel’s enemies, and live in power forever. It’s the way we’ve been taught. Everyone knows that! What’s this business, ‘I must go through this?’ Perhaps Peter wondered what he had gotten himself into. If Jesus is going to die, what about me? I mean, He is talking about picking up a cross. Will I die with Him? Is He worth dying for? I really thought I knew Him. Peter and the others had to have been more than a little shaken. They thought they knew Jesus, but now weren’t so certain. If you listen closely to people’s words these days, you can still hear these kinds of thoughts. We have expectations of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and expectations of what Jesus should be doing for us. Life should turn out okay if I trust and obey Him. He will protect me from harm and suffering. Then something bad happens and we’re totally disappointed. We, think, Gee, I really thought I knew Him. I’m not so sure now. My faith is kind of shaky. Back to our story. Luke begins by saying, “Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.” Have you ever noticed that great, eye-opening things always seem to happen on mountaintops in the Bible? This mountaintop experience is no different. Peter, John, and James had a real eye-opener up there. You might even say they saw the light! These three sleepy men were watching Jesus, who was praying off in the distance, when suddenly Jesus was transfigured. He became dazzling white. He showed His heavenly glory. It was beyond amazing! His face had changed. It was so filled with brightness, brilliant light, one couldn’t even look into it. His clothes became as bright as lightning. Then they saw two men – Moses and Elijah – talking to Jesus. These guys were great figures of the Old Testament – both prophets and great men in their own eras. They were hall-of-famers of the faith. The disciples also heard some outstanding things. First, they heard Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about His departure, which means literally, His exodus. It is a reminder of God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt, which was led by Moses. This exodus would be accomplished by Jesus in Jerusalem. A deliverance is coming! This thrilling news must have made Peter’s heart
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+5%3A27-31&version=NIV (Luke 5:27-31) Grace and mercy and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Friendship is a true gift. Who is in your circle of friends? Would you consider Jesus to be one of your friends? The Bible begins with the assertion, it is not good for man to be alone. We were created for companionship, for love, for relationships. Someone has written, “A friend is one to whom you can pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” Here are some other thoughts about friendship: • A friend is one who multiplies joy and divides grief. • A friend is one who understands my silence. • A friend is a volume of sympathy bound in flesh. • A friend is one who walks in when everybody else walks out. Helen Keller said, “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light.” Here is another quote: “I love you not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you.” Perhaps my favorite . . . “A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.” Profound thoughts about friendship. Friendship is truly a gift of God. The Old Testament Hebrews understood friendship. They had three words for friend. The first is Rayah. It means an associate. Somebody you keep company with, an acquaintance. It would be somebody you know fairly well. The relationship is perhaps superficial. Maybe you work alongside them or are back fence neighbors. The second word for friend in Hebrew is Alooth. It means to be gentle with, to be familiar with. This takes friendship a step further. These friends would be close, people you talk with about really significant, personal issues. You might take a vacation with these friends, go fishing, go to a game, go out to dinner, or perhaps study the Scriptures together. They are close friends. You might not see them for a year or two, but when you do see them again, you pick up the conversation right where it left off. The third Hebrew word for friend is Ahave. It means an intimate, close companion. Proverbs 18:24 uses the word “Ahave” when it says, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” It is an intimate friend. Remember the Bible story in I Samuel 18 describing the relationship between David and King Saul’s son, Jonathan? It reads, “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved David as his own soul.” Jonathan and David had a love that surpassed the love of a man for a woman. They enjoyed a deep, profound love – not a sexual love, but an intimate, devoted love. It also says in Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of an ‘Ahave’ (a friend).” An intimate friend not only loves you, but would also speak the truth to you, even if it hurts. Another element in intimate friendship is found in John 15 where Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends.” The truest-of-the-true friend is one with whom there is an intimacy holding love closer than a brother. It’s a relationship with such honesty and devotion that the friend speaks the truth to the other, even if it wounds the person. Yet, for the truth spoken, it’s for the good of the other. Intimate friendship holds such love, one would even die for the other. Do you have friends like this? If you do, you are blessed, very blessed. So against this backdrop of friendship’s value, let’s consider the story of Jesus calling Levi to be one of His disciples. Jesus came up to Levi, the tax collector, at his tax booth on the street and said simply, “Follow me.” Immediately Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus. Now tax collectors were among the most hated people of Jesus’s culture. They made their living by using their position of...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5%3A17-26&version=RSVCE (Luke 5:17-26) How do you respond to authority? As human beings, we respond to authority in a variety of ways. Sometimes we respect it; we recognize it; we obey it; we trust it. We turn to authorities with our questions needing solutions. As parents, it’s our job to teach our children respect for authority. Sometimes, however, we question authority. We balk at it; we chafe at it; we challenge it. We may even rebel against it. Something deep within us doesn’t like being told what to do. We like to maintain control over our lives, be in charge of our own lives, be our own bosses. When you think about it, authority is a major issue of life. Another question: Have you ever considered Jesus your authority? It is what He came to be in your life, as the Gospels tell us. When Jesus taught, He spoke with authority. People marveled at His authority for He didn’t teach as the other rabbis taught. He taught without footnotes, without quoting others. He challenged the system. You’ve heard it said this way, but I say to you . . . The people were mesmerized and sometimes challenged – even angered – by how He spoke with such authority. His message got Him into trouble. Today we see Jesus exercising authority with a man who was paralyzed and was brought to Him. Jesus was in a house in Capernaum teaching. The place was packed with all the teachers and Pharisees in surrounding villages. It was a literal “who’s who” of religious authorities of the day. They had heard about this new rabbi who was drawing a great following amongst the people of their own villages. Even teachers from as far away as Jerusalem came to hear Him speak. Jesus was getting a lot of attention, raising eyebrows, stirring things up a bit for everyone. While He was teaching that day, “The power of the Lord was with him to heal.” It’s almost as if Luke is setting us up to expect something big to happen. Then some men came carrying their friend who was paralyzed. The crowd was so big, they couldn’t get him close to Jesus, so they somehow got up on the roof, tore away some tiles, and lowered him down in the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. Can you imagine the scene as the tiles are falling to the ground and people are wondering what in the world is happening? I can imagine Jesus smiling – although He may also be wondering what the interruption is about – for He sees the faith of these men lowering their friend and of the man lying there. Jesus took everyone by surprise as He unexpectedly said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Their faith was welcomed by Jesus. As little and as uninformed as it may have been, Jesus welcomed it. He wasn’t just talking about intellectual assent to some proposition, but a faith that moved toward Him believing He could do something, moving toward Him in repentance with a change of mind. Jesus’ statement really raised some eyebrows. The scribes and Pharisees questioned it. They were quite upset as they thought to themselves, He doesn’t have authority to forgive sins! Who does he think he is? He is speaking blasphemy, which means profaning God Himself because only God can forgive sins. When it comes to who He is, Jesus has, in effect, raised the stakes by closing down the options. He is either God or a blasphemer. Either He is the author and bringer of truth, or He is living and proclaiming a total lie deserving of death. Their take on Jesus was, This guy is blaspheming against God! Jesus perceived their questioning minds. He asked, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? But that you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Isn’t it interesting! Jesus knew their thoughts, which must have totally blown their minds. And it must have been more than a little unsettling because it is a godlike quality as well. God knows our...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+5%3A1-11&version=RSVCE (Luke 5:1-11) Recently, a fellow pastor, who I was getting to know, asked me how I came to know Jesus. So I shared a bit of my story and asked him to share his story with me. How would you answer that question? How did you come to know Jesus? Some might say it began at their baptism as a child. Their parents brought them to the baptismal font, raised them in the faith, and they have always known Jesus. Others might say it was through a Bible camp experience as a kid or a retreat as an adult like Cursillo. I know of others who were awakened spiritually at an evangelistic crusade. My clergy friend told me it all began for him when he received a personal witness from someone who told him of what the Savior had done for him. Someone might describe these awakening experiences as a personal epiphany. An epiphany is a sudden awakening. The light goes on to who Jesus is and who I am in my need for Him. It’s an “aha” moment of revelation about Jesus, and it changes the outlook and direction of one’s life. Today’s passage tells us of Simon Peter’s epiphany and how he came to know and follow and serve Jesus Christ. We must keep in mind that this was not Simon Peter’s first encounter with Jesus. Earlier in the book of Luke, Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law in the town of Capernaum. Peter had heard Jesus teaching with authority in the synagogue about the kingdom of God and the Good News of God’s salvation being fulfilled. According to the other Gospels, Peter had already received an invitation from Jesus to follow. However, it all came together for him at a particular moment on the Sea of Galilee in his fishing boat, of all places. Peter saw the light. Jesus was at the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and the crowds were gathering around Him to listen to this exciting preacher and miracle worker. They were pressing in on Him, wanting to hear the Word of God. Jesus had developed quite a following early on, and so it seems there wasn’t enough room for Him to effectively speak to a crowd like this. He needed more space and some amplification in order to be heard by the large crowd gathered around Him. Jesus saw fishermen – Simon Peter, James, and John – taking weeds out of their nets after fishing all night. He recruited the use of Peter’s boat. One could even say He commandeered it. He invited Himself into it, stepped into it, and then asked Peter to take Him out a little way so He could teach from the boat. Peter was agreeable and motioned a couple hired hands to join them. As they pushed the little 16 footer out from the shore into shallow water, it provided room for Jesus to sit, and it gave Him natural amplification as He spoke to His audience. Peter and his mates actually got front-row seats to hear Jesus preach. One has to wonder if something stirred in Simon Peter as he listened. Perhaps. We do know that, when Jesus was done teaching, instead of asking Peter to take Him to shore, He told him – He didn’t ask, but told Peter – to go out a little deeper in the sea and let down his nets for a catch of fish. I am sure those experienced and tired fishermen, who had been up all night, weren’t very excited to go to all the trouble. We hear Peter respond, “Master, we toiled all night and did not catch a thing. Still, he obeyed. “At your word, I will let down the nets.” Perhaps this deference on the part of Peter came from having witnessed Jesus’ authority earlier when Jesus healed his mother-in-law. Maybe it was a message from the day or days before. Who knows? In any case, they followed orders, went farther out, and let down the nets to see if this Amateur knew something they didn’t know. (Everyone knows it’s best to fish at nighttime when the fish are near the surface. The fish would be too deep during the heat of the day to net.) Suddenly a huge school of fish swam into those nets – so many fish that the nets began to break....
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A21-30&version=NRSV (Luke 4:21-30) I would like to do a little sanctified imagining with you today as we begin this message. Picture two men walking down a dirt road in the city of Nazareth. They’ve just been to a worship service at the synagogue. Their brows are furrowed and one of them is very animated, waving his arms around, anger in his eyes saying, “That preacher made me so mad!” His friend responds, “Yeah, me too.” “He started off fine. He seemed like a nice young guy, but by the end of his message, I could have killed him!” “Yeah,” his friend said, “He’s lucky he got out of town alive! I wonder, by the way, how he avoided getting thrown off the cliff. It was the strangest thing I’ve ever witnessed. Kind of a miracle.” If this preacher was a friend of yours, would you advise him to move on and start looking for a new call? The preacher those two men were talking about was Jesus. He had just preached in His hometown of Nazareth. He’d read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue service and then expounded on the text announcing He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. The new day God had long ago promised through Isaiah had finally arrived. The release is here. Help has arrived. The year of the Lord’s favor has come. Good news! Good things ahead. Look at their response. “All spoke well of him and were amazed at His gracious words,” You can almost hear it: • Oh, He read that well.• I like that passage. It’s my favorite.• It is really good news, all right – a King, a Redeemer from God coming to help us. Wouldn’t it be something?At the same time, though, they were asking themselves: But Him? Jesus? Isn’t this Joseph’s son, the carpenter? We watched him grow up in this town. They were skeptical and hesitant to buy into this news. Maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on them, though. Other so-called “messiahs” had come and gone. They had promised uprisings against the power of Rome, only to fail disastrously and bring their whole community down with them. It is the reason they questioned if they should risk following Jesus. Perhaps they would wind up destroyed just like their neighbors down the road in Sepphoris. True, they had heard through the grapevine about His preaching and miracles in other towns like Capernaum, but He had not shown any of those signs in His own hometown of Nazareth. This is not the reaction Jesus was looking for in response to His Good News. His own hometown didn’t respond in faith. They listened to His nice words, then questioned His pedigree. So Jesus didn’t stop there. He kept on preaching to overcome their unbelief. The second part of His message was actually quite courageous when you think about it. He knew their thoughts and went on to quote two familiar proverbs – “I know what you’re thinking, ‘Physician, heal thyself’. You are waiting for miracles from me like I did at Capernaum.” Then He continued with another proverb: “Truly I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” He seemed to be referring to Himself as a prophet. A prophet, remember, is one chosen by God to speak God’s truth to His people. Jesus then used two illustrations from a very dark time in Israel’s history of unbelief and spiritual apostasy against God as the people worshiped idols. “(Speaking of prophets) remember Elijah.” The people were suffering a famine as punishment for their disobedience to God. He chose to feed a non-Jewish woman when everyone else was starving. Then Jesus told the story of Elisha, which we find in Second Kings. “There were a lot of lepers in Israel, but God chose to only heal the non-Jewish soldier, Naaman, who acted in faith and did as Elisha told them.” Suddenly the crowd was stirred up! They were angry, up in arms! Hostility filled the room with rage against Jesus. He got a response but not what He was hoping for. Although He was attempting to awaken them to truth, to repentance, and belief, instead He got rage!...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=NIV (Luke 4:14-21) Jesus is the embodiment of every promise God has made. Every blessing God can give to us or pour into us comes from Jesus the Christ. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, every promise is fulfilled, and we become recipients of the promises of God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+2%3A1-11&version=NRSVA (John 2:1-11) A family was riding home from church one Sunday, and the mom asked her second-grade daughter about her Sunday school lesson for the day. The little girl said, “We learned the story about Jesus turning the water into wine at Cana.” Then she enthusiastically told the whole story. When she was finished, her mom asked, “So what did you learn from the story?” The little girl thought for a moment and said, “Well, if you’re going to have a party, make sure you invite Jesus!” She’s right, you know. Today’s Gospel text affirms it. Let’s take a quick look at the story. It begins with these words: “On the third day . . .” connecting it to the story before it. Jesus promised Nathaniel that if he were to come with Him, he would see greater things – heaven and earth intersecting with angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man, Jesus. This is exactly what Nathaniel and the others will start seeing at Cana, and at a wedding party of all things! I love the fact that Jesus went to wedding parties. I love the image of Him being with people, celebrating with them in the joy, dancing, and joking around. It is a great picture! I’m reminded of a statement made by Rick Christian, “Christianity isn’t for deadheads. At least not if you take Christ as the model. He was not so much a ‘man of sorrows’ (Isaiah 53:3) as a man of joy. We know he didn’t stifle his tears – but he also didn’t cover up his laughter and joy. He liked parties and fun and swarms of kids . . . The stories Jesus told were often of joyous feasts and celebrations. He likened the Kingdom of God not to a convention of blurry-eyed librarians but to a rollicking banquet and a wedding feast – tremendous times of joy. Joy was indeed ‘serious business’ with Jesus Christ.” Christ was enjoying this wedding in Cana, but the party was sinking fast. It was headed toward a failure, for they had run out of wine. It was on the brink of being a social disaster, an embarrassment for the bridegroom and the families. It could even have been considered a bad omen by the newlyweds. Obviously, someone – perhaps the bridegroom himself – had miscalculated how much wine would be needed for this party, which would last four to seven days. Wine was the sign of joy. This party needed rescuing. Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have had some connection with the host families for the celebration, for she knew the seriousness of the situation at hand. She turned to Jesus with the problem interceding on their behalf. “They’ve run out of wine.” He answered, “Dear woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” Still believing in Jesus, Mary left the whole matter in His hands instructing the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” She was showing faith in her Son, which shouldn’t surprise us. After all, she had heard from the angel Gabriel thirty years earlier that the child she would bear and raise would be special. He would be called the Son of God. So Mary not only asked Jesus for help, but she also instructed the servant to “do whatever He tells you.” She left it with Jesus. It was almost as if she was yielding her request to His will. That, my friend, is faith. Jesus compassionately came to the rescue. He told the servants to fill six ceremonial jars used for the Jewish rite of purification – each holding 20 – 30 gallons of water. Then He had them draw some of it out and take it to the chief steward of the feast. When the chief steward tasted the water that had become wine, he didn’t know where it had come from, though the servants knew. He went to the bridegroom and said, You know, usually the best wine is served first and then the inferior wine when the guests have become drunk and don’t know the difference. But you, my friend, have done just the opposite. This is fantastic wine! Interesting isn’t it? The One who later would call Himself the bridegroom...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+3%3A15-16%2C+21-22&version=NRSVA (Luke 3:15-16, 21-22) Though I received several Christmas gifts three weeks ago, I am just now discovering how wonderful some of these gifts are. Yesterday I started reading a new book I received, and I can’t put it down. It’s great! I’m so glad I opened it! As we think of the greatest Christmas gift of all – Jesus – it’s important for us to take a close look at Him to discover (and perhaps even rediscover) the wondrous things about Jesus, in order to really appreciate Him. We can do that by examining the Gospel narratives, which reveal some great truths about Jesus – who He is, what He’s about, what He means for our lives. Today we are going to take another look at Jesus in this sermon series entitled, Jesus Revealed. Before we look at our text, I’d like to share a favorite Christmas story of mine. Some first-graders decided to write their own version of the Christmas story. It was more modern than the traditional drama. They had the familiar members of the cast: Joseph, the shepherds, and an angel propped up in the background. However, Mary was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, behind the bales of hay came some loud moaning sounds. Evidently Mary was in labor. Soon the doctor arrived dressed in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck. Joseph, with a look of relief on his face, took the doctor straight back to Mary, and then began pacing back and forth in front of the scene. After a couple minutes, the doctor emerged with a big smile on his face and announced, “Congratulations, Joseph! It’s a God!” ☺ This is the real story of Christmas. Congratulations, it’s God! It is the main truth being revealed to us in today’s story about the baptism of Jesus. He is 30 years old. We know very little about His childhood from Scripture. Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist. Some people ask why Jesus would need to be baptized. John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sins, and Jesus was sinless. As far as I’ve been able to tell, Jesus is identifying Himself with sinful people. He is dedicating Himself to the mission God had for Him – to be the Savior. After Jesus came up out of the water and was praying, the Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove and the voice of God said, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” I am delighted. Jesus is receiving God’s endorsement. His approval. It is true. You are My Son. Jesus is the Son of God. God in the flesh. While His divinity has been announced, there is more here for us to consider as we look carefully at the words God spoke. This is also a coronation of a King. The first part of these words comes from Psalm 2:7, a coronation psalm for the kings of Israel as they are given authority. It is also a commissioning. He is receiving orders concerning His mission. “With whom I am well pleased,” are words taken from the servant song in Isaiah 42, which speaks of one who will come and serve the people by suffering and dying for them. Jesus is no ordinary person, but the Son of God who came to die for sinners so we might be rescued and restored to a relationship with God. As the Gospel writer John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. . . the Word became flesh dwelling among us full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14a).” This text also reminds us that Jesus is a member of the Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all in this story. God spoke, the Spirit descended upon Jesus, and Jesus was pronounced as God’s Son. As the Spirit descends upon Him, we are reminded that He is the powerful One who John the Baptist spoke of when he said, “One more powerful than I is coming. I baptize you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Once we have grasped the truth that Jesus is God, it’s every bit as important for us to grasp the truth that...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3%3A15-20&version=NASB (Revelation 3:15-20) Dear friends: Who would you say you most admire in this world? And if that person you admire so much were a person of power and influence, what would you do if they came to your home today and knocked on the door asking “can I come in? Can I move in with you and stay a while? Can I share the rhythms of your life and get to know you in a relationship of love?” Imagine how that would be if the person you love and admire so much began to share daily life with you. Let me say that love never forces entrance, nor can love be forced. Love always invites, offers, waits, and gives. The Bible says that Jesus is the King of kings who is the “persistent suitor”, coming to us again and again to knock on the door of our hearts, seeking access to our lives in order that he might bless us with His power. Save us, forgive us, and reconcile us to His Father. King Jesus has another name, it is Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. Think about Jesus as King, coming to us as God as He really is to live with us as we really are. God comes to stay, to live in our neighborhood. That’s totally different than a visiting guest who comes for a few hours on a special occasion. Sometimes we think about Jesus as a repairman: we hope he leaves soon, and we hope he doesn’t cost us too much. Pause a minute now and think: Jesus is the King of the cosmos who will save us from our sins. The One who had all power emptied Himself of all power and glory as God in order to take on the weakness of human flesh. In the incarnation God was everywhere present, now becomes human living in a particular place. The God who was eternal now comes to live within time and history. It’s an interesting thought, but we who are human beings are relatively puny compared to the size and power and scope of an infinite, almighty God. However God’s Spirit, though everywhere, will not dwell in one place uninvited. That’s within the heart of every person that He has created. When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River in Mark 1, He says “the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the good news.” Well the Kingdom of God was at hand because Jesus the King had come to live with people He had created. The King moved into the neighborhood. And when a king ascends to power, there are only two responses: you either surrender on your knees to swear allegiance to the king or you rebel and run. I once read a true story of a man was arrested for a crime, convicted, and sentenced to death. He was guilty, but people who loved the man went to the governor of the state, and the governor pardoned the man of his death sentence. But the man said “I will not accept it.” Well that took matters of the legal system, and the court ruled that the pardon was not valid unless the one intended to be pardoned accepted the pardon. The legal court system said that the man had the right to refuse mercy and refuse freedom. When King Jesus comes to pardon us of all our failures and sins and give us new life and freedom, though it seems ridiculous, puny people can limit the almighty power of King Jesus. We can reject His love and reject His pardon. So does your life have room for a King Jesus? In John 1:11 it says “Jesus came to His own people but His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to them God gives the power, the authority, to become the people of God.” If Jesus came to your house and came in to live, would your ego let Him have the throne? If Jesus came to your house and shared time with you, is there any element of your attitudes and behaviors or speech, is ready thing within your household that you’d be embarrassed for the King to see? Well what is the impact when King Jesus moves in? Jesus reigns wherever he is received. He has unlimited power and unlimited resources to bring about positive change, and he brings that change with a...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+9%3A6-7&version=NIV (Isaiah 9:6-7) When a doctor tells a young woman she is going to have a baby, it stirs a mixture of emotions – joy and shock. Perhaps the timing is unexpected. Maybe dad and mom feel inadequate or overwhelmed by the magnitude of a life that’s now growing within the woman’s womb. I once had an expectant mother say to me, “The human gestation period is too short for me to be ready for this baby!” Pregnancy stirs joy, hopes, dreams of heart as we wonder about the potential of life and the personality this child will have. The moment a child is on his way, and especially when the child is born, life is changed forever for the family. Perhaps it is changed in even broader circles than that! When the prophet Isaiah, 700 years before Jesus was born, said, “A child is to be born whose name will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” that promise fulfilled sets the heart to hoping and dreaming. We live in wonder as we unpack the truth that God sent Jesus, His Son, to be incarnate into the human experience and to be our Savior. We might be wonder filled at Jesus’s origin. Just as a girl in a Disney movie sings, “Someday my prince will come,” believers in Old Testament homes sang, “someday Messiah will come” after centuries of suffering darkness and oppression from military entities in neighboring kingdoms. They may have experienced periods of despair as God’s people were unfaithful and wandered far from God. During one period, the word of God was lost in the temple. When the King Josiah discovered it, he implemented all kinds of spiritual reform for the nation. A remnant prayed all through the centuries for Messiah to come. Isaiah says, Jesus will be born, and His name will be Wonderful Counselor. The Messiah, the King, literally translates, The Anointed One. Each time a king was crowned in Israel, the people would ask, is this the One? Is this the One who will usher in God’s will in a way that our life experience will be permanently altered according to the promise of Shalom? Isaiah 7:14, says, “This will be a sign: a virgin will conceive a child.” So when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, A child will be born, and you, a virgin will conceive, the Holy Spirit came upon Mary. And when a sky full of angels, glorious and radiant, appeared to shepherds out in the hillside, they proclaimed the arrival of this Messiah. “Good news of great joy, for to you is born a Savior” (Luke 2:10). Do you ever hear this news, even as we celebrate Christmas, and think, I wonder what God is up to in the twenty-first century? Do we still wait and hope for God to bring things into harmony with Himself? To bring peace on earth? The birth of Jesus and the story accompanying Him is incomprehensible, full of wonder beyond our understanding. Part of the wonder is that Jesus embodies God coming down to where we are to be with us as we are. The birth of the Son of God is Immanuel, God forever with us. The infinite takes on the finite so He might redeem us. The Creator comes to dwell among His created people. The One without limits willingly takes on self-imposed limits in order to make Himself accessible to us. Soon after Jesus finished His mission by dying on the cross, being raised from the dead, and ascending into heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Counselor, who comes alongside us to help. Now God is not only with us, but He is also within us. Jesus comes down to where we are and even deeper. He comes within us to restore and heal all that is broken. God sends Jesus down to where we are; He does not wait for people to come to Him. He never turns us away. Instead, Jesus seeks us where we are – out in the streets, at weddings, at house parties, by a lakeside, on a mountain, in the wilderness, in our darkness where, like He asked Adam, He also
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A26-36&version=NRSVACE (Luke 1:26-36) Jesus once told a story to His disciples about a master who left his servants in charge of his house. Each had his own work and commands until the master’s return. They were to stay awake lest he come home and find them asleep. Jesus said, I want you to consider yourselves to be like those servants while you wait for my return, because the Son of Man is coming again. The question for us is, What should God’s children, His servants, be doing as we wait for the return of Jesus? This is what we have been discussing these last couple of weeks. The answer from our story today is inspired by Mary, the mother of Jesus. Throughout the centuries, Christians have wondered what to do with Mary. After all, she was the mother of Jesus, so she has some special status, right? She has been revered and venerated – even prayed to – in the Catholic Church. However, in the Protestant tradition, she has been somewhat passed over. Yet something helpful and important can be learned from Mary and her experiences with God, as we see in today’s text. Mary was a teenager living in the village of Nazareth without any authority or power to call her own. She was betrothed to a man named Joseph, who was descended from the house of David. From this story we learn she was a virgin and an ordinary girl who was tapped on the shoulder to do something extraordinary for God. The angel Gabriel’s announcement to her was, “Hail, oh favored one of God. The Lord is with you!” Favored means, grace. Gabriel was basically saying, God is showing you some grace, Mary. You are favored. You are graced by God. He went on to say, “You shall bear a son and shall name Him Jesus. He will be called great, Son of the Most High. The Lord will give him David’s throne,” just as He had promised King David back in the Old Testament days. What’s interesting here is Mary’s response. First, she asked a question inquiring how this could happen. “How can this be since I am a virgin? (I have had no sexual relations with a man.)” The angel went on to explain that the child would be conceived by the power the Holy Spirit. This would be a virgin birth, because nothing is impossible for God. After hearing his answer, she responded with this marvelous statement that has been revered over time: “Here am I, a servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to your Word.” Mary was presenting herself as available for service to the Lord, not sure where this would take her in life. It was like handing a blank check over with her signature saying, Go ahead. Use my womb. Use my life to be a parent to this Savior. And God did use her for His purposes. By the way, this was no short-term mission trip. It was a mission to last a lifetime. It would be difficult. Mary became pregnant and had to experience condemning looks and rumors amongst her fellow villagers of Nazareth, as well as the sadness and hurt in Joseph’s face when he heard of the pregnancy. And what about her parents? What kind of disappointed looks did she receive from them? Mary gave birth in the most inconvenient and uncomfortable of circumstances. She ended up having to fear for His life and hers after His birth by the hand of King Herod. They were forced to run for refuge in order to escape the slaughter of the infants, which Herod ordered to get rid of Jesus. They lived as refugees in a foreign land. She raised Him and took care of Him. That was no easy task either. She worried about Him as parents do. We even read of her experiencing the great anxiety of losing track of Him as a twelve-year-old in the city of Jerusalem. We know she went through the heartbreak of watching Him leave home to do ministry. She worried and perhaps was embarrassed as she heard people question His sanity. She herself may have wondered about Him a bit. Then, of course, there was the horror and despair she faced on Good Friday as she
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+3%3A1-6&version=NRSVCE (Luke 3:1-6) As children, many of us played a game called, “Hide and Seek.” Whoever was “it” would count to a certain number while others would hide. When the count was done, he or she would proclaim, “Ready or not! Here I come!” It was now time to seek. The season of Advent reminds me a bit of this game. As we approach Christmas, Advent serves as a countdown to once again preface for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. I just bought my grandson, Henry, an Advent calendar with stickers to count the days before the birthday of Jesus. Some families will do daily Advent devotions with an Advent wreath as a countdown to the great celebration of the birth of the Christ Child. When you think about it, the Christ Child’s arrival ended the countdown. The countdown for a Savior (from God’s Old Testament promises), was fulfilled with His coming at Christmas. God basically was announcing, Ready or not; Here I come! The apostle Paul, describing Christmas in one of his letters, wrote, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son . . .” (Gal. 4:4). Like the game of hide and seek, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, arrived in the flesh to seek us out. Jesus told His disciples, “I came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He not only came to show us what God is like, but to also carry out a rescue mission. Jesus would go to the cross for the sins of you and me. He would rise victoriously from the grave so we might have eternal life and be saved. Jesus’ coming was a heavenly invasion to conquer the power of sin and death and the devil. This is the good news we gratefully think about in these Advent days before Christmas. But there is so much more for us to consider as we observe Advent. Advent brings to remembrance the fact that Christ is coming again. We need to constantly be ready for His arrival. The One who arrived as a baby will arrive again in glory and power. We live in the in-between times. A theologian once wrote, “The Christian is always living between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet.’ He or she is one for whom something has already happened and for whom something still has to happen.” We are people in waiting. As Christians, we confidently wait to see Christ coming again in power and glory to establish a new heaven and a new earth where people love God with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love one another as themselves. Where there is no more sin, no more pain, no more mourning, no more death, no more suffering. Only living in the light of God’s love, which was God’s original intention when He created this world. This is what lies ahead. We know this to be true, because Jesus told His disciples – and even His opposition – these things. At His trial, He told them “the Son of Man will come again in power to rule over all” (Matt. 16:27). An important question for us to be asking is What do we do in the meantime while we wait upon the Lord? This is what we began exploring last in Sunday’s message entitled, Watch and Pray. We will continue to explore the question for the next two Sundays. As we again turn to Scripture for guidance, today’s reading about John the Baptist’s ministry has a vital word of instruction for us. The word is PROCLAIM. John’s job was to prepare people for Jesus, who was coming, by proclaiming the Good News of a rescue about to happen. All flesh will soon see the salvation of God, just as the prophet Isaiah had spoken of in the Old Testament. Central to John’s proclamation was a call to repentance, a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In calling for repentance, John pointed out that we need a Savior. We are not okay with God. We are in need of forgiveness and cleansing. We are sinful and unworthy to have a relationship with the God who created us. We are rebels in His sight with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We have made a mess of things...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A25-36&version=NRSV (Luke 21:25-36) This is a time of year when people say to one another, “Are you ready? It’s coming.” “Ready or not, here it comes.” “Christmas is just around the corner.” We talk about Christmas countdowns. We go to the stores, and we listen to Christmas carols. The Christian Church, however, traditionally calls this time of year the season of Advent, which means so much more than simply a warmup for Christmas Day. It is a time to remember that Christ has come, He is coming again, and we must be prepared for Him. The One who came quietly and humbly in the little backward town of Bethlehem will arrive again in glory and power and majesty one day. The One who humbly rode a donkey into Jerusalem and was hailed as a King on Palm Sunday will appear to us on a cloud. The first advent was the birth of Christ. It will be followed by another advent – the reappearing of Christ. Where do we get this notion? Jesus told us so. As you examine the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you find Jesus freely spoke in the parables about His second coming. In the Apostles’ Creed, we say we believe He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Some people feel a little uneasy when it comes to the subject of the second coming of Jesus. I am here to assure you, this need not be the case. For the Christian, it is very good news and should not frighten us. Instead, it is our confidence as followers of Christ. We have the big picture before us. History is not a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Followers of Jesus Christ know better than that. We know history is, in a very real sense, HIS STORY. All of history is headed toward a grand finale. Christ says, The world is mine. I have final word over it all. • I am the Alpha and the Omega (Rev. 22:13). • All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matt. 28:18). • Heaven and earth may pass away but my word endures forever (Matt. 24:35). This is really good news! The world, oftentimes, appears to be hopeless, dark, scary, and totally out-of-control. However, the second coming of Jesus reminds us, He has got this. We don’t need to worry. In fact, Jesus is reassuring His disciples of this when He describes the second coming. While some are uneasy about the second coming, others go completely in another direction and obsess on trying to figure out when it will happen. They spend a lifetime conjecturing and speculating on it, to end up disappointed and looking rather foolish, as we’ve seen in past history. I am acquainted with people who are great end-times enthusiasts. A friend of mine said recently, “I am fascinated by the end times. I love to try to figure out when it’s going to happen.” It is a hobby in his Christian faith. We must remember, though, that Jesus said it will happen unexpectedly, suddenly like a thief in the night. He seems to be telling us that we are not to be simply sitting around, speculating about His return while we wait. In our passage for today from Luke, Jesus is teaching His disciples about His second advent. He doesn’t tell us when He’s coming, He just assures us that it will happen and what it will be like. The stars will fall from the sky, the sun will refuse to shine, and the moon will turn to blood. He uses Old Testament prophetic language like in the book of Joel. There will be havoc, chaos on the earth, distress among nations, a roaring of the sea and the waves. There will be great fear and trembling – people fainting with fear and foreboding. Then the powers of the heavens will be shaken. The sky will be in havoc. “Then they will see ‘the Son of Man’ coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” The Son of Man is used in the book of Daniel to describe a messianic figure from God who will come in power someday for His people. It was one of Jesus’ favorite titles to describe Himself....
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A39-44&version=NRSV (Luke 22:39-44) Have you ever had a door slammed in your face or stood at a closed door that no one would answer? I imagine most of us have literally experienced something like this. We can also, however, experience closed doors in a figurative sense. Perhaps an opportunity presented itself that looked so right and promising, but didn’t work out. We say the door closed. Or a relationship with a special person, who you thought God had chosen for you, breaks up. The door slammed in your face. Perhaps you found a job you felt would be a perfect fit, or you felt especially qualified for a spot on an athletic team, but you don’t get the position. They wouldn’t even let me in the door! Those closed-door experiences can be quite painful, even depressing and maddening. Sometimes heaven’s door seems to stay closed on us or we feel like it’s been slammed in our face. You are praying for something to happen but it doesn’t happen. You are doing the right thing – perhaps it is even for the kingdom of God – but it just peters out and dies. It can be painful and frustrating, especially when we’re so sure we were right. People can become very disappointed, depressed, even angry with God and cry out with the psalmist, “How long, O Lord, will you forget me?” Or, Why, Lord? Or even, Why not, Lord? The truth is, sometimes God allows us to go through His open doors, His divine opportunities, as we’ve discussed the first few weeks of this series. But sometimes God says no, which is a difficult word for us to swallow. It can cause us to throw a good, old tantrum before God, like a child in the store being denied a bag of candy at the checkout line or a certain toy dad or mom is denying them. If you are encountering one of those closed-door experiences in your life, I’m really sorry. I know they’re not fun. I know from personal experience and from walking alongside a lot of people as their pastor. But, when we run into these and attempt to regroup from the experience, some things need to be considered from God’s Word. First, God sometimes closes the door because something better is ahead that we don’t know about. I think of examples in Scripture: Paul and Silas in the book of Acts. They wanted to go to Asian and Bithnia, but the door to go was shut. Instead, a door opened for them to Macedonia where they established some of their best churches, the Philippian and the Thessalonica churches. I am reminded of our first attempt at relocation as a congregation. We had run out of space in our old building and were growing big. We had no more space on which to build. I was so certain we were to move to a certain acreage I had found. I had it all picked out, and I was sure God was with me on this one. I even convinced my board this was the way to go. What I discovered painfully was I was wearing blinders. We were not ready as a congregation. God closed the door. It was painful, and I was angry. But two years later, in God’s good time, we were a united church again and were ready when a beautiful piece of land came up for sale at a bargain-basement price right off of the freeway. We relocated there, and God blessed us with growth beyond what we had ever imagined for ourselves. Looking back on that experience, I learned God knew something better lay ahead for us. A humorous story: Pastor Tim Keller shares with us from his early 20s. He said, “I prayed for an entire year about a girl I was dating and wanted to marry, but she wanted out of the relationship. All year I prayed, ‘Lord, don’t let her breakup with me.’ (Of course, in hindsight it was the wrong girl.) I actually did what I could to help God with the prayer. One summer near the end of the relationship, I got in a location that made it easier to see her. I was saying, Lord I’m making this as easy as possible for you. I’ve asked you for this and I’ve even taken the geographical...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Matthew+6%3A5-13&version=NIV (Matthew 6:5-13) When I was boy growing up in Belmond, Iowa, one of my best friends was Billy Walrod. Our yards connected to an alleyway, and in the summer time we’d run barefoot every day, swim in the pool, play ball, and ride his go kart. We had a blast! One morning Billy was sleeping in and I was impatient, so I picked up some pebbles and began throwing them at his bedroom window. Billy didn’t wake up, but his mother came out the door. That is when the trouble started. A man named R. S. Thomas once said, “Prayers are like gravel flung at the sky’s window hoping to attract the loved one’s attention.” Is that how you think about prayer? Like we are flinging some words up, hoping someone is listening? Do you remember the Gospel song, ♬”It’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my mother, not my brother, but it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”♪ Each of us needs prayer. We need to connect from our heart to God’s heart in a relationship and believe we are loved, our lives matter, and we have a purpose. But we don’t always know how to pray. We don’t know what words to say. We don’t know who God is in order to talk with Him. No wonder the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” And Jesus did just that. Our Father . . . Jesus gives us a beautiful acknowledgment that God is not only the source of all life, the designer of the beauty in this world, and the designer of our physical bodies, but He is also our Father. Galatians 4 tells us that we have the spirit of adoption as His children. So we can call Him “Abba” – daddy – a term of endearment, affection, and intimacy of relationship. Scripture tells us in John chapter 1, “As many as receive Him (Jesus), to them God gives the power (the authority) to become the children of God who were born not of the will of blood or of man but the will of God.” Just think of it – you and I, by faith, are children of God! Jesus says we can call God, our Father. Notice also, Jesus uses the plural pronoun our. Whatever church family you belong to, the family of God is much bigger than your individual congregation. Denominations of every church body in America? Yes! On Easter Sunday morning at the resurrection celebration, as Christians all over the world celebrate and worship God in the name of Jesus, we are all the family of God. We all call God, our Father. Whatever your vision of God’s family, it’s simply not big enough. My grandmother used to say in Norwegian, “God has many strange children,” and then she would turn to me and say, “You are a funny boy!” God has many children in the family and we need to be welcoming of all of them. So when we pray, we pray “Our Father.” This means that, in relation to our Father, our spiritual status might be in one of three categories: • We are prodigals, far from God and running from Him. • We are more like the older brother – doing things out of religious duty instead of love. We do things out of obligation, not out of gratitude. • We are fully aware of how blessed we are, privileged to trust the God of all things as our dear Father. We live in a sense of loyalty and joy because we know we are His children through Jesus Christ. Who art in heaven . . . God is both our heavenly and our holy Father. He is heavenly not so much by location, for God is everywhere present, but because He is above us. He is distinguished from our earthly father. When dads and grandpas put on their “Best Dad Ever” shirt on Father’s Day, no matter how good they are, they are not perfect. God is our heavenly Father. He is perfect. His love for us is unconditional, and He is not limited in His reach to come to where we are, provide for us, and care for us. Oftentimes I visit with those who had a difficult childhood due to having an unhealthy father. Perhaps their father abandoned them totally. It is good,...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+12%3A13-21&version=NRSV (Luke 12:13-21) Who Left the Outside Door Open? It’s Freezing in Here! Did You Grow up in a Barn? Who Left the Cupboard Doors Open? It Makes My Kitchen Look like a Mess! Open doors, I know, are not always welcome occurrences. It’s true. But these past few weeks we have been talking about open doors in a positive way. We’ve been talking about God opening doors to us – how we can recognize them and choose the best ones. As we look through Scripture, we learn that God’s open doors are typically invitations to make our lives count with God’s help, for His glory and for the sake of other people. Ultimately, God opened the Door for us so we might open doors for others. Unfortunately, though, some miss going through these doors. They miss the joy and satisfaction they can experience in their own lives, as well as bring into other people’s lives. It can happen for a variety of reasons, like the one we encounter in today’s story from Luke’s Gospel. One day, while Jesus was teaching, a person interrupted Him and said, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!” Apparently, a skirmish had been going on in his family, and this man was afraid he was going to miss out on his fair share of the family inheritance. Jesus doesn’t play the role of judge as the man would like Him to do. But He does give a caution: “Take care and be on guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Be careful, Jesus says. Greed is dangerous. It shrinks our souls. It keeps us from walking through open doors that God places before us to serve others. It narrows our vision of the world to me – with a capital M – E. You’ve heard this little poem, I’m sure, “I had a little tea party this afternoon at three. ‘Twas very small, three guests in all: I, myself, and me. Myself ate all the sandwiches, while I drank up the tea. ‘Twas also I who ate the pie, and passed the cake to me.” Me, myself, and I. Greed is a dangerous thing. It is one of the seven deadly sins, because it is so insidious. It is all too easy to get caught up in if you are poor, but especially if you’re a person with some wealth. Haddon Robinson, a preacher I respect, once said, “For every verse in the Bible that tells us the benefits of wealth, there are ten that tell us the danger of wealth.” One of the dangers is greed. These days a new term has been coined from the technological world of Facebook. It’s called FOMO, an acronym that means “the fear of missing out.” On Facebook, people share the wonderful things happening in their lives. However, in doing so, we can soon begin to sense that person is getting more than me – more vacation opportunities, more fun, more invitations for fun events, more friends. It can make a person feel depressed, like they are missing out. My life should be better than this. We actually see a bit of FOMO in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. The serpent approaches Eve and says, “Did God say you shouldn’t eat from that tree?” Eve replied, “Yes, He told us that we couldn’t eat it. We couldn’t touch it, lest we die.” The serpent says, “That’s not true. God just doesn’t want you to be like Him. You are missing out. All you need to do is just take a bite!” We have an insatiable hunger within us for more. When it is focused on self gain, it is a foolish, ungodly, dangerous, lonely, dead-end street. Jesus goes on, then, to make His point with a parable. He tells about a man who was living for himself. The land of a rich man produced plentifully. He was a rich farmer and had a bumper crop. A strange thing happened as a result, though. He had a conversation with himself – not with God, not with the wise elders who would sit at the city gates and help with decision-making in the community. No, he had a Board of Directors of one – himself. Notice all the “I’s” and “my’s” in this:...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+1%3A9-11&version=NRSV (Philippians 1:9-11) How do you pray for your children or your grandchildren? I am a parent and a grandparent, and I pray for my kids. I pray they will be healthy, protected, and so on. Most important, however, I pray they make good decisions in life and walk in God’s ways. After all, a lot of bad decisions can be made in life. Making decisions is an important and often very difficult part of life. Some of us have a tough time making decisions. We are afraid of choosing the wrong path, the wrong door. Many are hesitant to make ironclad commitments for fear of getting stuck in something. We want guarantees that all will work out fine. However, life isn’t always like that. Open doors. We all face them. As we talk about open doors in this sermon series, a TV game show comes to mind that I watched when I was a kid. It’s called, “Let’s Make a Deal” with Monty Hall. The idea of the show was to come in costume to compete for money and prizes by striking wacky deals. If Monty chose you, you could trade something for a bigger prize, hopefully trading up to the biggest prize of the day. “What’s behind this door (or curtain)? Will you trade us for it?”Everybody, of course, was anxious because they were afraid of taking the wrong door and getting zonked (the white elephant prize). The final contestants got three doors to choose from – Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3. When you think about it, life is full of doors. We have so many decisions to make, so many choices. We don’t want to get zonked. “Which decision is the right one?” we ask ourselves. It can stress a person out and even paralyze them from making a choice at all, which is a choice in itself. People have interesting methods for making choices, for choosing doors. Such as flipping a coin. Superstitions like Ouija boards, horoscopes, and fortunetellers. Some people will say they just follow their gut, which can be dangerous because of our sinful nature. I know what I want and I’m pretty much gonna follow what I want. I tell my gut to do the same. Some of us operate like Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it” without any thought at all. Interestingly though, as you look in Scripture, the Bible doesn’t really provide an outline for the various big and little decisions we have to make in life. However, it does tell us quite clearly that God wants us to become good choosers. This would make sense when you think about it. After all, we are created in God’s image, He has given us a mind with which to think and reason, and a will to exercise. He has given us Himself and promised to be with us in all of life’s decision-making. In today’s passage, we find the apostle Paul telling a congregation of Christians that he is praying for them. Paul is their spiritual father, their pastor. He brought them to Christ. They are like his children. This letter, therefore, drips with love and affection more than any other letter Paul wrote. Today we learn about his prayers for the Philippians. His prayers boil down to this – that they grow to make good decisions as they face the various doors and opportunities they encounter along the way. His words again: “My prayer is that your love may overflow with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best.” What is Paul really communicating here? It is important for us, as followers of Christ, to become good choosers. We should be able to determine what is best as we live our new lives in Christ so our love for God and one another might overflow. We are to grow as we live out Christ’s great commandment and great commission. Paul says, “I pray you grow in love.” The love he is talking about here is called agape love. It means to live sacrificially for the sake of others, to give self away as Jesus did. Jesus once talked about agape love in the Upper Room with His disciples as He described life in the community. He said,...
Genesis 12:1-7 Sometimes God calls us into an adventure we never anticipated. I’ve heard people refer to these sorts of things as God’s “open doors.” These open doors can take us in directions and to exciting places we never dreamed of. Maybe you’ve used this statement before, If you had told me a few years ago I’d be doing this, I would have never believed it. I think of my own life, for instance, and how I became a pastor. My senior year at college I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life, but I began to sense a nudge toward going to seminary and maybe becoming a pastor. I really wrestled with God about it. I asked all kinds of people, “How did you know? How did you know you were called to ministry?” and I never really found a satisfactory answer. One day I was lamenting this to a friend of mine named Eli who was headed off to the seminary. He listened to me and replied, “Stevie,” which is what he called me. “Why don’t you try it? It sounds like an open door to me. You are wrestling with God. If it’s not an open door, you’ll find out soon enough. What do you have to lose?” So I went. Seminary was challenging, especially the first year. But I hung in there and the door stayed open for me. So when people ask how I became a pastor, my response is, “God opened the door for me. I went, and I have to say, I’m glad He did!” God places all kinds of open doors before His people on a daily basis. He can lead us to some very interesting circumstances and adventures. In the next few weeks, we are going to learn how to recognize “open doors” and how to go through them. Our teacher in this first lesson is Abraham and his wife Sarah. If anyone can teach us about entering open doors, Abraham can. We see God opening a door to Abraham in our passage from Genesis 12. The book of Genesis begins by describing how God created the world, and it was good. However, in chapter 3, the world absolutely falls apart. In Genesis 12, God begins His plan to put it all back together again. He doesn’t turn away. Instead, He calls a man named Abraham and promises him three things: land, many descendants, make him a blessing to the families of the world. Something amazing then happened in the story. Abraham went! He walked through the open door God placed before him. He had no strategic outline, no map to follow, no detailed agenda. He didn’t have a clue how God was going to make this happen. He and Sarah just went. By the way, the entire story of the Bible hinges on the moment when Abraham went. It was not an easy door to pass through. Open doors frequently are not easy. Many of you have probably already learned that along the way. Abraham was leaving behind the familiar – the security of home, all that was comfortable – to follow this God and His plan who promised him great things. He was going into the unknown – a land called Canaan – and there was nothing great about Canaan. Living in Ur and Huran, Abraham was in the center of civilization. He had it made. The place he was headed was uncivilized, foreign, filled with enemies. He would be trading down, so to speak. Canaan was four hundred miles away from home, which was a long, arduous trip for an elderly couple. The land God described to them was already inhabited by the Canaanites, who surely were not going to simply hand it over. Abraham had to have faced some ridicule as he considered God’s call. When he talked about God’s promise to give him many descendants, which seemed an impossibility, their friends and family must have thought they were off their rockers. He was 75 years old and Sarah was way beyond her childbearing years. What were they thinking – moving so far away to an unknown land? Still they went, trusting this God who had opened the door. They eventually learned they could trust God with everything. Along the way, they experienced plenty of close calls. As we read Genesis 12 through 21, we find times when Abraham and Sarah were afraid. They fought famine, near...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Kings+18%3A19-39&version=NIV (1 Kings 18:19-39) Our message this week takes a trip to Mount Carmel in Israel and a contest of gods between Baal of the Caanites and Yahweh, the God of the Israelites and the prophet Elijah. It is the type of story that leaves us asking, What do we really believe? Where do we derive our security, our purpose, our motivation in life? Where is the pure object of our affection focused? I might also ask, Do you have any idols? A doctor of theology was teaching world religion at a university and made a mission trip to India. While there, he met and befriended a local fellow who was a Buddhist. This man was very friendly and took the doctor around to see the sites and help him become acquainted. One day he took the doctor to the Buddhist temple. When the doctor walked in, he was amazed at all the strange, peculiar statues lining the walls of the temple, each one representing a different god. Then he felt a little poke in his side, and his newfound friend gestured toward one of the statues saying, “See that one? You recognize it, don’t you? That’s your God!” The doctor of theology looked up to see a statue of Jesus on the cross – as if Jesus were just one god among all the other gods. In that man’s mind, though well intended, he believed you could be Buddhist and Christian. You can worship whatever god you want or as many as you want. We have often heard the phrase It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. We live in a culture of time that says all truth is relative to the individual’s perception and conviction. However, I don’t believe this. Instead, I believe the God of the world, the God of life, has, in a beautiful way, revealed His heart and love to us in His Son, Jesus Christ. He went to the cross to bring us back into a relationship with Himself, even though we were sinners, and, by His resurrection, gives us eternal life. He invites us to repent, turn our hearts back to Him, and confess our faith in Him as our God. At Mount Carmel, Elijah prayed this prayer: “Lord, by your power show that you are God and we are your servants. Turn the hearts of your people back to you.” In our story, the Bible describes King Ahab and Queen Jezebel as the new champions of evil in their time. They not only promoted the worship of the idols Bael and Ashera, but they hunted down and killed God’s prophets in an effort to eradicate faith in Yahweh. They especially hated the prophet Elijah and searched every inch of their kingdom for him. They even threatened neighboring kings who might hide him. They treated Elijah like the number one criminal of the world and wanted him dead. After three years of drought with God telling Elijah to hide from Ahab, now He tells Elijah to go show himself to Ahab. In the context of threat and danger, Elijah boldly walks into the palace and issues a challenge to Ahab and the priests of Bael to have a contest on Mount Carmel. May the best god – the real God, the God of power and glory – win. So the priests of Bael go first and offer their ox as a sacrifice. From morning till noon, they prayed. Louder and louder they prayed as they danced around the altar of sacrifice. Bael, hear us, they say. Elijah begins to mock them. Is god meditating? Is he too busy, indisposed, on vacation? Perhaps he is sleeping. Cry out louder! They danced louder; they cut themselves with knives until they bled; and they hollered louder and louder. Nothing except silence was the response. This continued all day until Elijah stepped forward and poured barrels and barrels of water over the sacrifice. Instantaneously a firebolt from heaven consumed the ox, the wood, and the twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Even the water was licked up dry. Everyone fell on their faces in that revelation of God’s power and glory and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh surely is God!” Yahweh revealed Himself
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+timothy+4%3A6-22&version=NRSVCE (2 Timothy 4:6-22) One of my all-time favorite movies comes on each year around the Christmas season. It is called, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” with Jimmy Stewart. The movie is about a fellow named George Bailey who, when things are getting so bad, wishes he had never been born. An angel comes and shows him what life would have been like in this world without him. At the end of the movie, as George’s friends are all rallying to save him from a financial crisis, Clarence, the angel, writes him a note. The note says, “Dear George, no man is a failure who has friends.” Clarence was right – to have a good friend is one of the highest delights of life. We tend to refer to people as friends rather loosely these days. If you ask someone if they have a lot of friends, they might say, O yeah. I have a lot of friends. I have a lot of friends on Facebook. We may talk about acquaintances as friends sometimes. We may have work friends and church friends. Guys refer to their friends as buddies. But do you have a 3 a.m. friend for when you’re alone in a dark time? Perhaps a crisis has hit, life is closing in on you, and you feel like your world is falling apart. Do you have someone you could call to be with you during those times? At our church we call those 3 a.m. friends – those with whom we have deep soul friendships. Many people do not have that kind of person in their life, which is not surprising because there is so much loneliness in America today, especially among men. We have many barriers to developing true and lasting friendships. • Pace of life. Distractions like television, the Internet, and video games. • Mobility of life. People frequently move from job to job, from area to area. • Isolation of life. We typically drive to our jobs and then drive home, close the garage door, and sit by ourselves in front of the screen each night. • Cynicism of life. We distrust others and are reluctant to let our guards down. • Busyness of life. We are too busy to nurture relationships. It’s hard to love someone when you are in a hurry. The sad thing is, we are missing out on a deep soul friendship and a richer life. Everyone needs a 3 a.m. friend. As a Christian, you might be thinking, I have the Lord God in my life. He’s my friend! I am glad you do! Yet, sometimes we need God with skin on. I remember a story about a young girl who woke up in the middle of the night crying because of a bad dream so her mother went to comfort her. When her mother thought she was calmed down, she headed back to her own bedroom. But then the little girl cried out, “You’re leaving me? Don’t leave me!” Mother responded, “God is with you.” The little girl said, “Yes, but I need God with skin on right now.” It’s true – sometimes we need God with skin on. We need a human touch in our lives. We have always needed God with skin on, when you think about it. From Adam in the Garden of Eden to whom God said, “It’s not good for man to be alone,” to King David who surrounded himself with friends through the hard times and the good. Jesus himself valued friendship. He called the twelve disciples to travel with Him in His ministry. The Apostle Paul experienced the same sort of need in our passage for today. Paul’s time of departure was coming soon. He was on death row in Rome without a get-out-of-jail-free card. He was far from the familiar, far from his homeland. Uncomfortable and chained to soldiers in prison, he was physically cold as well, for winter was coming and he needed his coat. He was also physically and spiritually hungry. Paul mentions he needs his books, which have been left behind in Troas (he wasn’t finished learning from the Word of God). Mostly, Paul is feeling abandoned and alone. He had experienced the power of the Lord standing by him. He even mentions in our passage today how Jesus strengthened him as he stood trial...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+12%3A1-24&version=NRSVA (Acts 12:1-24) I recently heard someone say, “When all else fails, pray.” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard this phrase; maybe you’ve heard it as well. I have learned, though – and I have to be reminded again and again – that this statement is a very unwise way to operate in life. Prayer is not given to us to be just an alternative when all human efforts fail. It should a first step, not be a final option. It is a gift, a privilege given to us by our great God and is meant to be our go-to in all matters of life. Prayer is having a relationship with the Creator of the universe and connecting with Him. We were made and redeemed for communion with Him through prayer. It is an important part of the process of walking with God, growing in our relationship with God, and serving Him in this world. Yet we sometimes struggle with prayer. Perhaps out of disappointment from past attempts, we set it aside. Maybe there’s a lack of discipline in our lives or just plain forgetfulness. Life is busy and we get distracted, making us all the poorer for it. Our series theme is, “A Couple Great Reasons to Pray.” We are answering the question, Why bother to pray? Last week we learned a great reason to pray is because Nehemiah prayed, and God answered his prayer in a big way! Today’s message is because the early Church prayed. Today’s lesson is an exciting story set during a time of persecution and violence against the early Church in Jerusalem. These were unhappy times. The country was suffering a famine. The Church was under attack not only by the Jewish population, but also by the government. Knowing of their dislike for Christians and wanting to improve his ratings among the Jewish people, King Herod had James, the brother of John, arrested and beheaded. This worked so well that Herod had another leader – Peter – arrested and scheduled for trial to be beheaded. We find Peter sitting in prison, surrounded by sixteen soldiers. Things are in a bad way. The leadership of the Church is on the line. The future of the kingdom cause seemed to be in question. So what did the early Christians do? Did they panic and scatter? No. They gathered and prayed for Peter. The night before Peter’s trial and execution, while the Church is praying for God’s help and an intervention, Peter is sound asleep. He was sleeping, but God wasn’t. Peter’s cell suddenly shown with a bright light. An angel poked Peter in the side, woke him up and said, Get up! Let’s go. Get dressed. Then three miracles occurred. • The chains fell off Peter’s hands and feet. All sixteen guards, who were supposed to keep an eye on him, slept as Peter walked right by them. All the while, Peter thought he was just having a dream. • The big iron gate opened all by itself and Peter and his rescuer headed down the street. • When Peter turned to say something to his escape partner, the partner had disappeared. Peter, then, realized this wasn’t a dream. The Lord has rescued me. Peter ran to the house church that had been praying for him and found the door locked. I imagine he can hear them praying inside. He knocked on the door and called out. A servant lady named Rhoda heard his voice as he calls out. She was so surprised and overjoyed, she ran to tell the others, leaving Peter standing outside the door. They say to her, You are out of your mind and out of touch with reality. You’re just seeing things. Maybe Peter is already dead and you are just hearing his angel. Peter, in the meantime, kept knocking on Mary’s door. I imagine he was looking over his shoulder and sweating bullets by now. Surely a search party was out looking for him to arrest him again. Finally, the others listened to Rhoda; they went to the door and opened it to find Peter. Everyone was shocked to see him standing there, alive and well. Peter then told them how the Lord brought him out of the prison. Then he instructed them to tell James, the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+1%3A1-11&version=NRSVA (Nehemiah 1:1-11) Is prayer your first reaction or your last resort? Your first impulse or an afterthought? Some of us sometimes wonder if it is worth it. God knows what I need, so why should I bother Him? Someone else might say, I’ve been disappointed by prayer in the past, so why bother? Our answer to these questions is, because Nehemiah did. We read about him in his memoirs, which we find in our Old Testament. Let me give you some background . . . It’s 444 BC (before Christ). The Persian empire is now in power and King Artaxerxes was its king. Israel had been in exile in Babylon for their disobedience to God for many, many years. But now, with the Persians coming into power, God sees to it that the first groups of exiles are allowed to return to Jerusalem where they would rebuild the Temple. However, the Babylonians had destroyed the entire city. Jerusalem had no city walls to protect it. The entire infrastructure of the city was in need of a redo. Enter a Jewish fellow named Nehemiah. One day he asks his brother Hanani (who had just come from Jerusalem) how things were back home. Hanani says, Things are bad. The people are in great trouble and shame. They are being overrun. They have no defense against the enemy. Our nation could be on its way out. We are barely surviving. Nehemiah is crushed by this news, and he weeps over his beloved Jerusalem. It is breaking his heart. The future of his people is at stake. God’s plan to use them as the blessing to the nations of the world (the light to the nations) could be at risk. Someone has to step up. The first thing Nehemiah does is to go to his knees. He fasted and prayed for three months, and he waited for God to respond. Fasting is for focus as well as a sign of our penitence and our mourning over sin. Look at Nehemiah’s prayer. He begins with reoriented prayer as he focuses on the greatness of God, referring to God as God of the heavens, great and awesome, a powerful One who is to be feared and keeps His covenant in steadfast love. He is faithful and hears my prayer. So hear my prayer. After Nehemiah declares God’s greatness, he declares his own smallness as he moves into a time of confession. He acknowledges not only his people’s sin, but his family’s sin and his personal sin. God, I’m part of the problem here. I know you owe us nothing. So I come empty-handed confessing, seeking your forgiveness. He also prays Scripture. Remember (a key word here), the word you spoke through Moses way back in the book of Deuteronomy, where you said, “If my people turn away from me, I will punish them. I will gather them and bring them to the place I have chosen to establish my name.” O Lord though they have sinned, they are your people whom you have redeemed. They delight in revering your name. They have rebuilt the Temple; they worship you; they still need your help, Lord. They need you to give them the peace you promised to establish them. So Lord, give success to me – Nehemiah, your servant – and give me mercy in the sight of the king. Use me to do Your will. Amen. Chapter 1 ends with these words: “At that time, I was cupbearer to the king.” This was an very important position. The king trusted this person. The cupbearer had access to the king and influence. It brought all kinds of benefits. Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. What happens next is amazing! Nehemiah fervently fasted and prayed for three months. One day the king, seeing the troubled look on Nehemiah’s face, asked him, “Why is your face sad?” Nehemiah explained his sadness and his desire to go back to Jerusalem and help his people rebuild the city. The king thinks about it, asks a couple more questions, and consults with his wife who was with him. Then he agrees to Nehemiah’s request. He also gives him letters of passport for safe passage, lumber and materials for the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+7%3A14-16&version=NASB (11 Chronicles 7:14-16) The deepest longing of the human heart is to connect with the source of life, with God Himself. Prayer is the language of faith. It is also is the privilege of intimacy with the Lord of the cosmos. If I were to ask you today, How is your prayer life? Most people – whether believers or not – will respond with a sense of guilt. I don’t pray enough, or I don’t pray with passion or I don’t pray correctly as if our technique or our vocabulary are the most important aspects of prayer. My daddy was a preacher, but my mommy taught me to pray when I was a boy. When I was discouraged or faced some unique circumstance, she would often ask me if I had prayed about it. I would at first resent her question, and then think to myself, “Yes. She’s right. I can pray about it.” She would often say, “Don’t cross your fingers; fold your hands!” I remember very well one time when I was a young boy and had a high fever with measles. My mom entered my bedroom, knelt by my bed, and laid one hand on my forehead and the other on my heart. She then talked to Jesus about healing my illness as if He were right there beside her on the bed. My daddy was the preacher, but my mom taught me to pray. It is important to know that II Chronicles 7:14 is set in the celebration and dedication of the glorious Temple of Solomon. In all of II Chronicles 6, Solomon, knowing the fickleness of the human heart and the waywardness of God’s people, gives a group of scenarios and says, If this happens, will you hear us and forgive? • “If we sin against our neighbor, will you hear us and forgive?” • “If we disobey you and are defeated by our enemy, will you forgive us, will you hear us and forgive?” • “If we chase after other gods, will you hear us and forgive?” All these possibilities are stated with the fear that the grace and patience of God might be exhausted. Therefore, God would no longer answer our prayers or be merciful. In response to this, God gives a wonderful, powerful invitation to always be people of prayer. “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear them. I will forgive their sin. I will heal their land.” First, we learn that we come into the presence of God humbling ourselves, confessing the truth about ourselves before Him. When I pray, I’m often petty and selfish. In fact, I believe I can actually use prayer as a technique to control God, to get Him to fix my life. I become a boss giving orders, and I use prayer as a way to make sure all of life is just as I want it to be. I forget that God is Creator and I am creature. So the first thing we do when we bow before the Lord is to confess our smallness, our dependence, our unworthiness. We humble ourselves before God not demanding things, nor commanding God. We also turn from our wicked ways. You may think to yourself, I’m not a wicked person. Perhaps I am not grossly immoral, but I want to confess to you that my brain is warped. I am turned in upon myself. The opposite of surrender and submission is self-direction and defiance. The moment I begin on a path of disobedience, I have ceased to seek the heart of Jesus Christ. Then, when I disobey and rationalize my behavior, I’m intrinsically involved in self deception. Instead I need to turn from my wicked ways and my self-ruled life. I must totally own the responsibility of my wrongdoing. I resolve to stop the wrong behavior that violates God and the people around me. I humble myself, turn from my wickedness, and turn full on to the God who gave me life. Next, I need to seek God’s face. Scripture is full of verses like Psalm 105:4 – “Seek the Lord and his strength. Seek God’s face continually.” Biblical scholars comment that often in prayer we seek God’s hands, but not His face. We come to
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9%3A30-37&version=NRSVA (Mark 9:30-37) When it comes to basketball, who is greater – Michael Jordan or Lebron James? As human beings, we seem to be fascinated by the subject of greatness. Many strive for it in their lives. Many of us enjoy discussing greatness in our conversations with others, for instance. We talk of greatness in the world of sports. I recently heard two announcers in a baseball game discussing who is the greatest baseball player of all time and how this particular rookie they were watching was destined for greatness. Historians talk of great statesmen, great Presidents. Most recently with the death of Senator John McCain, we heard him described as a great American hero. In the field of business, who are the greatest entrepreneurs, greatest companies to work for? You can find them on the Internet. Jim Collins wrote a bestseller book for companies: Good to Great. In entertainment, we argue over who are the greatest actors or movies or bands of all time. We love to talk about what is greatest. Greatness has been defined as something or someone who is heads above the rest, superior in their area or field. We find Jesus giving His take on the subject of greatness in our story for today. Jesus and the disciples are walking down the road to Capernaum. It is important to keep in mind, Jesus had already begun telling the disciples that He would be suffering and dying in Jerusalem and rising from the grave. Of course, they didn’t get it the first time around. Shortly after, Jesus was transfigured on the mountain before Peter, James, and John, and they heard the voice of God speaking to them about Jesus saying “This is my Son; listen to him.” Now they are on the road again and headed to Capernaum in Galilee. Jesus is once again telling them about what will happen to Him later in Jerusalem. “The Son of Man,” which was His favorite title for himself, “will be betrayed, killed, and will rise again.” They didn’t understand, Scripture tells us, and they were afraid to ask Him to explain. Why do you suppose they were afraid? Maybe because they’d seen Peter get chewed out the last time he questioned the words of Jesus. Or perhaps because some things you just really don’t want to know. They sound painful. Ignorance can be bliss, we think to ourselves. Sometimes when we talk to someone, we will say, “I am afraid to ask this but . . . “ meaning, I don’t really want to pursue this subject. The disciples wanted Jesus to be the Messiah King they wanted Him to be: royalty, powerful, headed toward taking over Israel as King. Perhaps they were afraid they might be wrong about Him. We soon learn in the next part of the story that they did not really listen to Jesus or take Him seriously had God told them on the mountaintop. After His prediction about suffering and death and resurrection, Jesus was walking out in front of them on the road, and they were lagging behind. He hears them discussing something, and the conversation was getting more and more heated. When they got to the destination, Jesus asked, “By the way, what were you talking about back on the road?” They were silent. Can’t you picture them – red-faced, embarrassed, looking down at the ground like kids caught red-handed at doing something wrong? They knew Jesus didn’t like this kind of talk. You see, they had been arguing amongst themselves about who was the greatest disciple. Who was the one destined for great leadership? Who will be the top dog under Jesus when He comes into power with His new administration? Their idea of greatness was attached to the idea of power, position, stardom, and status. Jesus already knew what they had been talking about, and when He didn’t get a response, He sat down, signaling to them that this is a teaching moment. When they were all settled in, He looked at them and said, “Whoever wants to be first, must be last of all and servant of all.” The disciples must have...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8%3A27-35&version=NRSVCE (Mark 8:27-35) It is music to our ears when we hear someone say to us, I’m all-in! We love to hear it in response to an invitation to an event we’re hosting. Someone says, I’ll participate. I’m all-in! If you are a leader at work, we love to hear that response from our employees about a project our team has been given. If you coach in athletics, it’s what you love to hear and see from your players. I’m all-in, coach! A hundred percent! Pastors love to hear it from their parishioners when they approach them to take on a mission project or teach a class. I’m all-in, pastor. Or a person hearing it from their spouse regarding their marriage, Darling, I’m all-in living life with you. No matter what, I’m with you. It appears Jesus wants to hear and see this all-in attitude as well from those who believe in Him. We see it in a statement He made to His twelve disciples in our passage today. After describing what is about to happen to Him in Jerusalem, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” This is a very high commitment statement. Jesus says, “You need to deny yourself.” What does it look like to deny yourself? Oftentimes we think of Lent. I’ll deny myself some chocolate for six weeks for the sake of Jesus. But that is not what He is talking about at all. Jesus is talking about giving up pride and ego. Renouncing your right to go your own way. Giving up your need to be in control. Instead, put Christ behind the steering wheel. Surrender your self-determination and replace it with Christ’s determination. Put your self-centered mindset aside, which seems to rule so easily, and realize that life is not about me. (I have to tell myself that a lot. “It’s not about you, Steve.”) Jesus says to “take up your cross.” The cross was a cruel instrument of execution representing suffering and death back in those days. It is how Jesus died for our sins. It was a horrific way to die. So what does Jesus mean? I recall a statement by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian who was martyred during World War II. In his book, The Cost of Discipleship, he wrote, “When Christ calls a person to follow, He bids him come and die.” Someone once said cross bearing is a willing predisposition to the inevitability of suffering with Christ and for Christ as I follow Him. It is basically a willingness to take a hit with Jesus, no matter what. It is a willingness to step up, speak up, and stand up for Him and His kingdom’s cause, even if it might be uncomfortable, even if it might literally mean death. Here are the facts, folks. A cross will come our way as a direct result of our choice to serve Christ in that way. • The cross of loneliness might come your way as people shun you for being too religious. • The cross of ridicule as someone says to you, You believe in that stuff? I thought you were smarter than that. • The cross of rejection or heartbreak over others. • The cross of inconvenience, uncomfortable situations, sacrificing time and personal resources to carry out the mission of serving the cause of Jesus Christ in your little sphere of influence. • The cross of loving the unlovable who may not love you back. I’m reminded of Nancy, a friend of mine who takes care of an elderly woman. The elderly woman is a tough cookie. She is hard on Nancy. Nancy doesn’t get a penny for this, but she takes care of all her daily needs. She is all there all the time, on call for her. Nancy senses a call to do this ministry, even though it is inconvenient and irritating as can be sometimes. But she has determined that Christ wants her to do this. She takes up her cross daily and gives herself away to this person. Perhaps your cross is telling someone about the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11%3A9-10&version=NRSVCE (Luke 11:9-10) I grew up loving Sunday school. One of my favorite parts was a sing-along we would have each week. I liked to sing. A song they taught us early on goes like this: ♪”Seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened; ask and it shall be given, and the love comes a tumblin’ down.”♬ I just love that tune. I love the words. They are part of a Bible verse that many of us have memorized. It’s a favorite of mine. This verse, though, has often been misused by the name-it-and claim-it prosperity preachers of our day. God will give you whatever you ask. Just name it and claim it. He wants you to prosper. Do you want that Cadillac? Just claim it in the name of God. That seems to be the message they’ll will give and use Luke 11:9-10 as the basis for their teaching. If you ask theologians what the most misused verse in the Bible is, many of them will likely reply, Luke 11:9 – “Ask and it will be given . . .” Although this verse has little to do with guaranteeing our personal fulfillment, its original intention holds a great word of encouragement from God to believers like you and me. As with any Bible verse, it can be lifted out of its specific context and made to fit a particular theological slant. However, that is a dangerous thing to do. Someone might ask, Does it really matter? After all, it’s still God’s word. Remember Isaiah 55, “. . . so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth: It shall not return to me empty but shall accomplish that for which I purpose and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (vs. 11). God promises His Word will not return empty. It is true that God’s Word will succeed in the matter for which He sent it. However, if you use God’s words in a way other than how God intended, it does you no good. Your efforts will return void, and you will be disappointed. Instead of lifting God’s Word out of its original setting to use as some sort of proof text, examine the context around the verse and follow the flow. You will be much less likely to miss the powerful message God is personally speaking to you in His Word. So, we need to ask what is the context of and story behind Luke 11:9-10, Ask and seek and knock. Will God give me a Cadillac if I ask? Let’s see what is really being promised here. First, this verse is found in the middle of Luke’s Gospel story about the life of Jesus. Luke emphasized the importance of prayer in Jesus’ life and in the life of the early Church as we read his other story in the book of Acts. The disciples noticed that Jesus prayed a lot. One day they made a request of Him – “Teach us to pray like John the Baptist taught his disciples, Lord” (Luke 11:1). So Jesus proceeded to teach them what we call the Lord’s Prayer, although it is better called the disciples’ prayer. (Jesus gave it to them, and He would never pray for the forgiveness of sins since He was perfect.) It was a humble prayer asking God to help us live according to His kingdom; hallow His name in our lives; be forgiven and protected and receive daily bread; be provided with earthly needs in order to live this kind of life with Him. Jesus told them to pray about these things. He also attached a parable in this teaching to alert the disciples about God’s availability and attentiveness to prayer. He tells a parable called “The Friend at Midnight” (vs. 5-8). “Suppose . . . ,” which literally means, Can you imagine. “. . . going to a friend for bread at midnight and being told to go away?” The disciples would have been shaking their heads when Jesus asked that because, in the Middle Eastern culture, that would never happen. Hospitality was a very important value. Jesus continues, “But by this person’s persistence he will get up and do it.” That word “persistence” has to do with a sense of shame. He is saying, I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A10-14&version=NRSVACE (Jeremiah 29:10-14) In all likelihood, you are probably familiar with these words from Scripture: “For surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” You’ve probably seen them on graduation cards, encouragement cards, posters and plaques in Christian bookstores, or other Christian merchandise such as coffee mugs. They are beautiful, nice, comforting, strengthening words, but we need to ask, What are they really all about? What is their meaning for us? The way this verse is sometimes used seems to imply God has plans to give individuals a prosperous career, good health, or even money in the bank. I’ve seen it used in the spirit of patriotism for our nation – God has plans for America. I’ve heard people use it while pursuing their personal dream – God is backing me up on my dream. The truth is, this is not a good use of this verse. At the same time, it holds some good news for us. If we look at it carefully and try to understand the author’s original intention, then we can apply it meaningfully. When we are studying Bible passages, it is wise to look at them in context so we can learn their true meaning and not twist them into something we want them to say. We need to ask: • Where is this verse found? • Where is the book, which contains the verse, in context of the salvation story? • What kind of literature is this? Is it a narrative? Is it from a poem? Is it some wisdom literature? Is it a letter? • Where do we find this verse within the context of the narrative? Is it at the beginning? Is it in the middle? Is it at the end of the story? It is also important, before we even tackle a book of the Bible, to look at the introduction in order to get a feel for the lay of the land. All of this matters when attempting to correctly understand the text. Today’s verse is found in a letter from Jeremiah the prophet to the surviving elders of the exiles, priests, and those who had been dragged off from Jerusalem to Babylon as punishment for their unfaithfulness to God. The situation was this: the covenant relationship the people of Israel had with God had been broken by them. They were disobedient and did not follow the commands and statutes God gave them to operate by as a community. God finally reached His boiling point, and so now the Israelites found themselves deported. They were refugees living in a strange, new land. Back in those days, when world countries like Babylon conquered a nation, they would disperse a good share of the population so they would be less likely to cause trouble later on. This dispersion was tough on these people. They didn’t know the language or the customs. They must have felt far from God in His Temple, and they were homesick. We get a feel for their sorrow in Psalm 13:7: “By the rivers of Babylon we wept.” As they experienced this painful new reality, some false preachers tried to put a positive spin on their exile. God told us in our dreams that this exile won’t last very long. Don’t sweat it. Jeremiah is writing a response to these false prophesies. His response is spoken on behalf of God, and it says basically says this: Those preachers are wrong. You better get settled in. Build houses. Plant your gardens. Eat from those gardens. Start families. Seek the welfare of the city you’re in and pray for its welfare, for therein you will find your welfare (Jer. 29:5). Their exile was not an imprisonment. The people were not behind bars or barbed wire, but were free to make a life in this foreign land. According to God’s plans, it would be a seventy-year stay. Jeremiah tells the people that God has a promise for them. After seventy years, God will bring you back just as He promised (Jer. 25:12). Our verse in chapter 29 is part of that promise. God says, “For surely I know the plans I...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+20%3A7-11a%2C+13-14%2C+18&version=NASB (Jeremiah 20:7-11a, 13-14, 18) How do we hold hope when tears of sadness or despair stream down our cheeks? The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was called by God to deliver a challenging message. The call was to God’s disobedient, defiant people to repent, turn back to God. Leave their rebellion, immorality, and unfaithfulness behind and return by their hearts to God who loved them and desired to share life with them. Yet they did not listen and instead ridiculed Jeremiah for his message. It is no wonder he is called the weeping prophet. How do we hold onto hope when the tears roll? Here is an eclectic group of individuals: Winston Churchill, Patty Duke, Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, Vincent van Gogh, Ludwig von Beethoven, Jane Pauley, Terry Bradshaw. A weird group, wouldn’t you say? What do they have in common? At different periods in their life, all of them had periods of the soul, deep despair, times of discouragement. Yet, they were able to continue to offer their abilities back to the world in a way that made an impact in their respective fields. How do we hold hope? How do we rise above despair to be faithful to what God asks us to do, like Jeremiah? Discouragement is a part of life. We might work hard but see no progress toward our goals. An athlete might practice diligently every day yet not win the starting position or their team win many games. We, as parents, might love our child and do our best to raise them, but they might rebel. It can consume our spirit and make us want to give up. That’s how Jeremiah felt. God called him to the difficult task of bearing a message to His rebellious people. Jeremiah obeyed, but it was not easy. One time Jeremiah’s prophecy angered Pashhur, an assistant to the high priest and chief security officer for the temple. Pashhur had Jeremiah arrested, beaten, and thrown into jail. He then locked him into stocks so his hands, legs, and neck – his whole body – was contorted and writhing in pain. This action represented the religious leaders of Jerusalem’s Temple publicly rejecting Jeremiah as Yahweh’s prophet. Jeremiah preached his heart out for forty years begging the people to see the error of their ways and come back into a faith relationship with God, but no one listened. He experienced deep distress. No friends, no wife, no family, no positive response to the message. He endured physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish. He walked in deep despair, all for being obedient to God’s will. So what is it that causes your despair? When do you become blue? It is a chronic condition of life, the circumstances of which are not changing? Are you struggling with faith? Are you in great physical pain? Are you wrestling with financial pressure that might turn your life upside down? Have you lost a loved one, and the loss has left you so lonely that you can taste the emptiness? Perhaps your marriage ended in divorce. Maybe you have a child or grandchild who is trapped in an addiction. Maybe you have experienced some great personal failures, which has thrown your life into chaos. When we experience difficulty and tears roll down our cheeks, how do we hold on to hope? Proverbs 18:14 says, “The human spirit can endure a sick body but who can endure a crushed spirit?” We can learn from Jeremiah’s faith journey that which will empower and inform our journey of faith today. First of all, confess your frustrations and all your feelings toward the Lord God. Be honest with God about the matters of your heart. Jeremiah was honest. He told God he felt deceived. God prevailed in His call to make Jeremiah His messenger, and now Jeremiah was the laughingstock of his people, ridiculed, humiliated, offended. His voice was not making a difference. Jeremiah even cursed the day he was born. Throughout my ministry, many people have asked, Is it okay to be angry with God, to be disappointed? If so, should...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=NRSVACE (Matthew 11:28-30) A photographer was snapping pictures of first graders at an elementary school, and he was making small talk to put his little subjects at ease. “What are you going to be when you grow up?” he asked one little girl. “Tired,” she said. A lot of tiredness is going around these days. We live in a fast-moving world with lots of pressures, deadlines, problems, and tough circumstances that put us under a lot of stress and can make a person feel very tired. A certain fatigue sets in, a physical fatigue, emotional fatigue, and even spiritual fatigue. It makes our lives feel very flat. I came across a wonderful analogy written by Mike Penninga comparing life to a flat bike tire. On a recent bike trip it wasn’t until I finally arrived home that I noticed something wrong. My tires were low. They needed air. The funny thing about bike tires is I don’t remember taking air out of them. It just went. Somewhere. Somehow. Air leaks. My tires weren’t crazy low, but low enough to know that my efforts in peddling were not producing maximum return. Each rotation was just a little bit harder than it would be had the tires been properly filled. It got me thinking. Life is like a bike tire. We don’t intentionally take air out … it just leaves. And just as it’s harder to peddle with flat tires, it’s not as fun to live when the air has leaked out of our lives. We don’t know where it goes or how. Life just has a way of deflating us. Difficult conversations . . . hisssssss (that’s the sound of air leaving your tires!). Tough day at work . . . hisssssss. Overwhelmed by circumstance . . . hisssssss. It happens to all of us. What about you? Are you going through life with flat tires? How fun is that? It is to the people who are feeling like flat tires that a sweet invitation comes today. Come to me all who weary and are carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. These are the words of Jesus. He has just told His listeners that He and the Father are one. To know Him is to be connected to God. Now He claims to be the Lord of rest. He’s the rest giver. “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” It turns out He is not talking about offering a nap for the body, some advice for the scrambled mind, a breathing exercise, stretching to relax your body, a vacation, how to slow down, or leisure activities. No, He is talking about a deeper sort of rest when He says this. He is talking about rest for the soul. “You will find rest for your soul.” That statement begs the question, What exactly is the soul? How would you answer the question? We know of soul music. Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul. I love eating soul food. We talked about the danger of selling your soul. When I was a kid, I was taught, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.” Sports franchises talk of a certain player being the soul of the team. The eyes are described as the windows of the soul. So what exactly is the soul? Dallas Willard, a Christian writer, compares the soul to a stream that needs to be tended. Gordon MacDonald talks about it as an inner garden that needs to be carefully kept. It’s the inner part of you, the life center of human beings. So we hear the soul being addressed – in the book of Psalms for instance. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (13:1). All that is within me – that’s what the soul is. We all have one. • It is the deepest part of you. It integrates your will, your mind, and your body. • It is the most important part of you. It needs continual care in order for you to thrive. • It, perhaps, is the easiest part of you to neglect. We work so hard on our external existence and don’t take much time thinking about the soul. That’s not good because it is the most needy part of you. Totally dependent! It has deep desires that long to...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A8-11&version=NRSVACE (Exodus 20:8-11) One of the greatest joys in my life right now is being a grandparent. I love watching little Henry and John grow and explore and enjoy things. It’s simply fun to watch them play and learn. One thing I’ve noticed, though, since my own children were young, I had forgotten the importance of those kids taking a quiet time for a nap each day. They don’t function very well without one. In fact, they can be quite a challenge to be around when they don’t get their nap. They need to rest. Mom and dad need them to take a rest as well. Otherwise their craziness, crankiness, and rebelliousness can set in. As children of God, we place our trust in Jesus Christ (that’s what makes us children of God). We can get quite crazy, cranky, and rebellious as well without proper rest in our lives. Our heavenly Father knows well that we don’t do very well when we’re all tired out. All of God’s children need a quiet time. Yet, when you look around, there seems to be an epidemic of tiredness. People are overwhelmed, overworked, overscheduled, and overstretched. When you talk with people and ask them how they’re doing, they will often say, “I’m so busy,” or “I’m tired.” It seems like we have this illness called “hurry sickness.” We’re always on the run. Dr. Richard Swanson, who wrote the book “Margins” a few years ago, shares these words: “Even our sentences are peppered with such words as time crunch, fast food, rush-hour, frequent-flier, expressway, overnight delivery, and rapid transit. The products and services we use further attest to our hurry: We send packages by Federal Express, use a long-distance company called Sprint, manage our personal finances on Quicken, schedule our appointments on a DayRunner, diet with SlimFast, and swim in trunks made by Speedo.” It seems like whether we are Christian or not, we’re extremely overwhelmed. All too often we are on the phone as well. Think about it – we take in a steady stream of information, reading, typing, so on. We’re wearing out our brains. All kinds of things get damaged when that kind of thing overtakes our lives. It hurts our physical and mental health. A fatigue sets in, an exhaustion. You hear people talk about burnout, depression, and it does damage to our ability to have relationships. It’s difficult, pretty much impossible to build meaningful relationships when you’re always on the run. It’s difficult to have a good relationship with God, to build a solid, close relationship with Him if we’re always on the run. It’s so easy to forget Him and end up chasing little idols in life we think we need, such as getting ahead, personal security, possessions, reputation, and so on. God gets put on the shelf. It’s difficult to build a relationship with others as well in this world. It’s difficult to love when you’re always tired out. Have you ever noticed that? Sometimes the best thing I can do for my friendships is to make sure I get enough sleep! I love the story about the businessman who constantly is bringing his briefcase home from work each day. His little boy disappointedly watches him pull his briefcase out every night after supper to do more work. One night his son asks him, “Dad, why do you do that?” The dad answers, “I can’t get all my work done at the office.” The little boy thought for a moment and said, “Well, can’t they just put you in a slower group?”☺ Sometimes it would be nice if we could just get into a slower group, I think. We do damage in our relationship with our self. We get crabby, lonely, and stressed. Perhaps you’ve heard the statement, “Constant work turns human beings into human doings.” We’re not meant to be human doings. Have you ever gotten to the place where you say, I don’t like me this way. I don’t like what I’m becoming. Have you ever found yourself longing for childhood again? I just want to go back in time and be a little kid again when life...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+5%3A11-20&version=NRSVACE (I John 5:11-20) The older I get the more I realize the number of things I don’t really know. For instance, I don’t really know much about technology. I struggle with my computer; I even struggle with my TV set. I don’t know how my health is going to be in the next two years. As far as deep questions go, I don’t know why bad things happen to good people. I don’t know when I’m going to die. I don’t know what heaven is going to look like. There are so many things I don’t know. It appears I’m not alone. I came across a humorous article written by a gentleman who has questions about things he doesn’t understand. He says, Why is it doctors call what they do, practice? I don’t know. Why is the person who invests all your money called a broker? That I don’t know either. Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? I don’t know. And my favorite, If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport, the terminal? I don’t know. While there are many things I don’t know, today I want to share with you some things I do know, and I want you to know as well. They are important. When I talk about knowing, I’m talking about a deep certainty within, a confidence that it is a fact I can build my life on. I know these things. We’ve been looking at the first letter of John for the past several weeks in our Deeper series, and now we’re at the end, chapter 5. John’s congregation had a lot of I don’t know, I’m not certain, and I’m not so sure happening in its midst. Times were difficult for the early Christians. They were being persecuted. People didn’t understand them. They were a real minority, almost viewed as a cult. To top it off, false teachers were coming into the church with doctrines that were different from what the people had initially learned from John. Questions arose about the basic tenets of the Christian faith. John, being a good pastor, reassured them, There are some things I really want you to know. First of all, everything I have shared with you is based upon testimony God Himself has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ (His life, His death, and His resurrection) and through the Holy Spirit. Here are some things I want you to pick up on. • Eternal life with God is available. God has given us eternal life (vs. 11). The definition of eternal life is the life of the ages. It is life with Him, living with God as His child now and forever. It is eternal. • Eternal life is found in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, alone. He is where it is found and experienced. Whoever has the Son has life. He who doesn’t have the Son doesn’t have life (vs. 12). Then John says, Not only do I know eternal life with God is available and it’s found in Christ, but I also know who has eternal life, who can live with assurance. This is my purpose for writing this letter in the first place. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God – Jesus – so you may know (have a deep certainty) that you have eternal life” (vs. 13). You who believe in Jesus. He is writing to believers. You can know . . . I want you to know . . . God wants you to know . . . His promises are true. It is very interesting to note that before John wrote this letter, he wrote his Gospel account to people who were checking Jesus out. In his statement of purpose, John wrote, “These things are written in order that you might believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and through believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). In his letter, John is writing to those who are believers. They’ve said yes to Christ. He spends a good share of the letter talking about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. In the last chapter, John says, As a follower Jesus Christ, you can know you have eternal life. Early in my ministry at Shepherd of the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+7%3A8-16&version=NRSVCE (2 Samuel 7:8-16) King David was a man who pursued God’s heart. God anointed him from being a shepherd to becoming the king of God’s people. David fought Goliath the giant and gained tremendous victory for God. He brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem and made it the spiritual capital of God’s people. As king, David gained victory over all the enemies around them. David also showed his great humanity by a tremendous moral failure with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and then had him murdered. But he repented of his sins and asked the Lord to have mercy upon him. From this time forward, his house was filled with chaos. Yet David is still remembered as a wonderful, powerful king in the history of God’s people. Today I want us to understand the connection between King David and God’s promise of a Messiah, a future King who would establish God’s Kingdom forever. That was Israel’s hope. The words of II Samuel 7 are the seedbed of the messianic expectation. Hope is a precious commodity. Hal Lindsay once wrote, “Men can live forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but not one second without hope.” We need hope as we live our lives. We use the word hope differently though. We might say I hope our favorite baseball team wins the game. Or I hope I catch fish when I go to the lake. We might say, I hope it stops raining, or I hope for good weather for my crops that are growing. I hope the price of corn goes up. I might look at my body and say, I hope I lose 20 lbs. I hope we have pie for dessert with supper or I hope the stock market goes up. We may move from mundane hope to more profound things like, I hope North Korea denuclearizes, I hope the political leaders of the world find a way to make peace. I hope we can alleviate hunger. I hope we can break systemic poverty. The trouble is, when we use hope – either in the mundane or profound – we really have no direct control to our wishful thinking. Biblical hope is different. It is based on the character, the historic faithfulness, and the promises of God Himself. Here is what Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3: “This I recall to mind. Therefore, I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindness has never run out. God’s mercy never fails. Great is God’s faithfulness.” The character of God, the promise of God, the historic faithfulness of God is the reason we, as God’s people, have hope. Talking about hope with this backdrop, let’s dig out the precious nuggets of promise God made to King David and his people in II Samuel 7. The Messiah literally was the Anointed One, the Deliverer, the Ruler, the Son of God who would come into the world to rescue God’s people. The Savior. First, God promised that David and God’s people, Israel, would be His people forever. They would belong to Him as His chosen people. It gave them their identity. Yahweh was their Father, and they were His people. They had security in the promise. Second, God promised His power would give them victory over all their enemies. They would dominate, reign over all the other nations, and God would be a mighty warrior fighting on their behalf. Third, God promises to usher in an age of peace, of shalom, rest from their enemies and beautiful harmony for God’s people. Fourth, God promised to provide them a place for their own. They would receive a land where they would be planted and rooted to live their lives. This is why Israel to this day remembers God’s promise that the land of Israel will be theirs. Fifth, God promised prosperity and great blessings would flow to them. Sixth, the kingdom God promised will be forever. They’ll be living the high life. ♪Happy days are here again♬ This is the stuff dreams are made of! Seventh, God’s promise was unconditional as a covenant. His power would fulfill the promise. All of this was tied to
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+2%3A9-11%3B+3%3A16-18%3B+4%3A7-12&version=NRSVCE (1 John 2:9-11; 16-18; 4:7-12) A while back I read a devotion that began like this: Today I was arrested as I drove in city traffic. No, I wasn’t stopped by an officer, and I didn’t pay a fine, but I was arrested nevertheless. It was the evening rush hour. I was alone. I’d absentmindedly left the radio on, and I wasn’t really listening to it when the summons came: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” I had to answer even if there was nobody there. “Who me? What you mean by ‘evidence’?” We have been studying John’s letter for the past few weeks, and it has answers to our question about evidence. This old pastor, John, who walked with Jesus, points us to three important pieces of evidence of the real Christian life. They are tests that mark a real Christian. First, we have the doctrinal test – what we believe about Jesus Christ. It is crucial that we believe He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Then we have the ethical test – how we behave. The way in which we conduct ourselves is important. A real Christian walks the talk and exercises Kingdom-of-God values. We strive to have integrity and honesty, work with an attitude of service, and play for an audience of One, focusing on God. Finally, we have the relational test – how we treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. In today’s passage, John is showing concern about relational problems in the congregation. The church to whom he is writing appears to be having some serious disputes resulting in bickering, fighting, division, and even hatred being expressed in word and action. We don’t know the details, but it appears to have begun as a dead doctrinal issue and, as so often happens, led to other things. It became a real church fight with power struggles and factionalism. Unfortunately, we still find this happening in the church of Jesus Christ today. Members fighting over differences in politics and views on social issues, personal issues with one another, territorial power issues, and doctrinal issues as well. I’ve seen some power struggles where people refuse to talk to one another and leave the church angry and hurt. Sometimes the church even ends up splitting. It’s tragic because it destroys congregations and ruins their witness for Christ. It’s a terrible image for the church. We are called to shine as a light to the world and attract others to the Gospel. We are to be a living display of God’s original intention for humankind. Fighting amongst Christians deters others from listening seriously to the Gospel as they observe the way we relate to one another. It not only hurts the church, but also hurts us. It hurts our souls and our brothers and sisters in the faith community. Our faith is damaged and stunted. A few years ago John Ortberg described this issue. He said, Bob is a leader in the Christian community. Everyone admires his impressive command of Scripture. He views himself as a defender of truth and regularly opposes those who disagree with his doctrinal positions. In truth, he doesn’t just oppose them, he delights in opposing them. He attacks them. He ridicules their positions and maligns their motives. When he listens to sermons, it’s not to encounter God but to point out flaws. Bob is regarded as a spiritual giant, but he doesn’t know how to love. There’s Helen. She’s a veteran Christian, a founding member of her church and one of the most feared persons in it. People tiptoe around her, skillfully avoiding her critical words. These days she’s especially critical of the changes happening in their church with new people. She has no tolerance for those outside the church, people who don’t look, think, act, dress, or vote like she does. She’s seen as a mature believer, but she doesn’t know love. It matters how we treat one another as...
As we go through life, we typically pick up a few titles along the way. Some of my titles include reverend, pastor, dad, coach, bapa (now that I am a grandpa), and mister. Around my wife’s workplace, I am called Julie’s husband. I tried to add doctor to this list, but ran out of time and energy. I bet you have a few titles of your own. Yet, all these titles, as nice as they are, pale in comparison to what John calls us in our passage for today. “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” Trusting in Jesus Christ, you and I are no longer children of wrath. We have become children of God, born again. God’s beloved ones through Jesus Christ. John says, “If you know that he is righteous . . . “ The “he” John is talking about is Jesus. As we know the Righteous One, we become children of God. We were unrighteous, in a broken relationship with God because of our sin, which made us children of wrath. But God in His love sent His Son Jesus. He is the Righteous One who came, the perfect life of righteousness, and He died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice so we might be righteous in God’s sight. A great transaction took place at the cross. Jesus took my filthy rags of sin upon Himself and paid for my sin. I received a clean robe to stand before God cleansed. Stuart Briscoe writes in one of his books, “Years ago when I was a young banker, we used big leather ledgers where all accounts were entered by hand. I remember daydreaming about those ledgers and God’s ledgers in heaven. We are told those books will be opened. I imagine my name, David Stuart Briscoe, and God adding up the sum total of my indebtedness against Him. I could never cancel the overwhelming indebtedness. In my mind’s eye, I saw God take His pen and transfer the sum total of my indebtedness to the account of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the account of the Lord Jesus, He wrote, Transferred from the account of David Stuart Briscoe. “I thought God was finished, but then I saw Him do something incredible. He added up the total righteousness of Christ and against it wrote these words, Transferred to the account of David Stuart Briscoe. That’s love.” I am forgiven. I’m given a new status through what Christ did for me. I am a child of God, a child of God who is also heaven bound. I have an eternal inheritance awaiting me. I can look into the future with confidence because I belong to my Father through Christ Jesus. I remember a lovely story I came across years ago about Dr. Billy Graham. In January of 2000, the leaders of Charlotte, North Carolina invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon. He initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggled with Parkinson’s disease, but the leaders told him, “We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.” So he agreed and some wonderful things were said about him at this luncheon. When he stepped to the podium and looked at the crowd he said, “I’m reminded today of Dr. Albert Einstein, the great physicist, who this month has been honored by Time magazine as man of the century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle punching the ticket of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket, but couldn’t find his ticket. So he reached in his other pocket; it wasn’t there. So he looked in his briefcase; he couldn’t find it. He looked in the seat by him; he couldn’t find it. The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I am sure you bought a ticket; don’t worry about it.’ Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back to Dr. Einstein. ‘Dr. Einstein, don’t worry; I know who you are. No...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+2%3A22%3B+4%3A1-3%3B+4%3A9-10&version=NRSVCE (I John 2:22; 4:1-3; 4:9-10) “STEVEN EARL KRAMER!” My mom used these words when she wanted my absolute attention and obedience. They were always said with a certain tone and intensity, so I knew when she spoke them it was serious. I’d better listen up and watch myself because I might be headed toward trouble. In our passage for today, Pastor John, the apostle, is using some strong, intense language. They have some emotion, some intensity behind them. Why the ire and alarm? Because his flock was in danger. Don’t mess with the pastor’s flock. Someone was feeding them spiritual poison, and as a result some very important basics of the Christian faith were being questioned. In John’s mind, some situations require the use of intense language in order to make a point, such as calling those who were giving these crazy teachings liars and antichrists. A battle is going on for the soul. The problem? The identity of Jesus has been called into question. The truth about Jesus is up for grabs, and whenever that happens in the church, people get confused and are knocked off track. False teachers making false claims. Leaders of movements claim they are the Messiah. By the way, Jesus had told His disciples this would happen when. So John wasn’t so much surprised as just irate as a protective pastor. These so-called religious experts were teaching some awful untruths. These preachers, these teachers with a certain charisma and charm, were causing problems in the church, and John, of course, was upset about it. I love the way Eugene Peterson captures this in his paraphrase of the New Testament book we call The Message. “My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. A lot of lying preachers are loose in this world.” This is true, even today. People at that time were denying Jesus is the Christ. People today still deny He was the Messiah whom God had promised His people, the One to whom the Old Testament points. Other preachers were denying the divinity of Jesus. He’s just a man, they said. He’s a good teacher but He went a little crazy at the end. He was delusional. Others were denying the humanity of Jesus. They reasoned in their own minds that God sees the material world as something evil and unclean in the flesh. Therefore, God would never come in the flesh as the Gospel says. They concocted a belief that this was an illusion of some sort. What is at stake is the Christian teaching on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. His identity. The incarnation is an all-important doctrine of the Christian faith. We celebrate it at Christmas, which is more than a birthday or holiday. It is a lifesaving truth for the world about the Son of God coming into our world to rescue and save us. That is the reason we sing the words “. . . Hail the incarnate Deity” in the familiar Christian Christmas Carol Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. Christmas, you see, is not about sentiment, but salvation. It is a lifesaving truth. It is interesting to note that the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke have a lot to say about angels, shepherds, and all the rest. However, in John’s Gospel, we find no baby in a manger, no angels, no shepherds, no talk about a virgin birth. Perhaps John felt this was all too distracting to the main truth. He begins his Christmas gospel this way, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . full of grace and truth.” John wanted to make sure his readers didn’t miss the truth about who Jesus is. First of all, Jesus is the Son of God. He is divine; God revealing Himself to us in the flesh. In Jesus, we get a picture of God and what God is like. One time in the Upper Room before Jesus was to go to the cross, Philip, one...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+2%3A12-17&version=NRSVCE (I John 2:12-17) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (What is your greatest desire in life? Someone might say it is recognition, to be admired. Someone else might say possessions, or success. A parent might say it is to be a good parent. Someone might respond it is to have a satisfying career using their gifts and to have financial security as well. Others are looking for meaningful relationships. The apostle John tackles this topic in our passage for today.) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (Remember John’s concerns for this congregation he is writing to. He wants them to have a deeper walk of faith, a solid theological foundation, and to walk in the light of obedience. In today’s text he talks about the desires of life.) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (John begins this section of Scripture by reminding them of what they already possess as followers of Jesus Christ. He thinks of the various age groups in the congregation – little children, elders, young people – and reminds them as Christ followers of what they already have in Jesus Christ. It’s almost like a little singsong text.) Little children, I write to you because your sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ. Fathers (that’s the elderly), I write to you because you know Him who is from the beginning. (That is, they have a personal relationship with God.) Young people, I write to you because you have conquered the evil one! (These people have not only said yes to Jesus, but they also share in Christ’s victory.)
John seems to enjoy it so much that he does a repeat. Let’s do it again! Little children, I write you because you know the Father as children of God. Fathers (elders), because you know Him who is from the beginning. Young people because you are strong in the Word of God. Jesus abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. You share in the victory.
John is basically saying to them, You are rich in Christ. You hit the jackpot when you became connected with Jesus Christ. In this new life, you have forgiveness for your sins, a relationship with God, and victory over the evil one. You have the Word of God at work in your life. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (But then the tone changes as bit as John moves into another section. It a word of caution with a command.) “Do not love the world or the things of the world.” Don’t trade down, John seems to be saying. You are rich in Christ. Don’t trade down. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+13%3A18-21&version=NRSV (When we read the phrase, “Do not love the world” in this text, it seems puzzling to us. In John 3:16 he says, “God so loved )the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). In Genesis we read, “God saw all He had made – the world – and it was good.” We love to sing the old hymn, “This is my Father’s World.” Let me explain this puzzle. John’s use of the phrase “the world” in this letter basically refers to all that stands against God and God’s ways. John is referring to the world as it is in rebellion against God. A world hostile or indifferent to God. Don’t love that kind of world, he says. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world. This reminds me of when Jesus said to the disciples, “You cannot serve God and mammon,” which means God and wealth. When John says “the love of the Father is not in those who love the world,” we need to dissect the word “love” a little bit as well. When Jesus said love in this context, He is using it to mean laying down one’s life. It means giving yourself up for something or someone. Jesus is asking, Are you going to live your life for
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II+Samuel+11%3A1-15&version=NIV (II Samuel 11:1-15) King David was a mighty conquering hero. As a shepherd, he killed a bear and a lion to protect the sheep. After he was anointed by Samuel with the Holy Spirit to be the next king, he killed the Philistine giant, Goliath of Gath. David was the leader of Israel’s army, popular with the people, the king’s court. After he became king in I Chronicles 18, it says David defeated the Philistines, the Moabites, the Syrians, the Edomites, the Amorites, and the Amalekites. The spoils of those victories filled Israel’s treasuries with gold, silver, and bronze. He was handsome, powerful, wealthy, loved by the people, famous. King David was on top of the world, and the scripture says the Lord gave David victory. Yet this story also tells us how the mighty have fallen. In the spring of the year when kings go off to war, David has lost his initiative. He’s stepping away from his responsibility. He stays in Jerusalem. He is restless and bored. In the middle of the night as he is out on his rooftop pacing, and he sees a woman bathing, a beautiful woman. To live is to be tempted. Martin Luther said, “You can’t stop birds from flying overhead, but you can stop them from making a nest in your hair.” David inquires of this woman and the servant reports back. She is married to Uriah, the Hittite. David blows past that barrier as if it hadn’t been said to him. He sends servants, who took her to the King. That same word “took” is a word used in Hebrew, meaning to pluck a grape from a cluster or take the life of a soldier on the battlefield. David took Bathsheba and used his power wrongly to justify his momentary lust. Later she sends word to David that she is pregnant. David is in a dilemma. So he sends word to Joab, the commander of the army to send Uriah home on furlough. He rationalizes that the sin he committed will be covered because Uriah will enjoy the company of his wife, and no one will be the wiser. Except Uriah carries himself with great integrity in contrast to David’s weakness, immorality, coverup, and lies. The king’s lazy shirking of duties gives birth to lust, his power is misused, adultery happens, and to cover up the misdeed – murder. True to the prophet’s word, insurrection never leaves David’s house (II Samuel 12:10). How the mighty have fallen! I think it is important for us to realize that each time we are tempted in life, a vulnerability underneath us makes us more susceptible to the temptation. One example would be pride. We become intoxicated with people’s praise and begin to think we’re very important. We can become drunk with power. Or maybe it’s spiritual ambivalence and a lack of gratitude. We forget that the Lord is He who has given us our blessings. It might be pure lust, being addicted to pleasure. Lust is a beast that is never satisfied, and we can end up singing rocker Mick Jagger’s song, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” Maybe we’re under stress. Perhaps we are an insecure person easily manipulated. Maybe we’ve been hurt a great deal in the past and the chaos of our emotions is reacting in a way that does wrong. Perhaps we’re disillusioned or depressed. Maybe we struggle with low self-esteem. Maybe we are so lonely that we’re willing to violate our own faith in God in order to be with someone. Always we’re vulnerable if we are unaware or underestimate our enemy Satan, the great tempter. Sin never happens in a vacuum. It’s not just conceptual. People are hurt. Lives are changed forever when we force ourselves on others in selfish deeds and attitudes in our sinfulness. Think of this story and remember that Satan lies to us. He tells us, No one will get hurt, or No one will know. He’s good at lies. David fails his army. He fails to be the leader that would inspire them, guide them, and do battle at their side. David, in his sin, takes a married woman and violates her. He violates the holiness and sanctity of...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+1%3A8-2%3A2&version=NRSVACE (I John 1:8 – 2:2) I have a confession to make. I am a screwup. It pains me to admit this to myself and to you, but it happens to be true. Let me explain. I try to live the Christian life – to obey, to be faithful, to have the mind of Christ, to love as Christ has loved me, to walk in the light and goodness as God is in the light. But, I have a lousy batting average. I strike out a lot. I tend to miss the mark. I do the things I don’t want to do, and I don’t do things I want to do. For instance, I want to be more gracious in life, but I find myself falling prey to being more judgmental of others, being harder on them than I might be on myself. I want to be more humble as God would have me be, but ego and pride rear their ugly heads way too often as I play comparison games. I can get so careless with my words, they will wound instead of heal. When it comes to loving, I’m so inactive at truly loving someone as Christ has loved me. I find I avoid difficult people sometimes. It’s hard to love people you don’t like. And when I get home (this is the worst place), I’m inattentive to my wife, and I don’t listen very well. I’m downright rebellious when it comes right down to it. I rebel against God’s commands. I know I shouldn’t watch this or read that, or say that or do that. I know it’s wrong, but I’m enjoying it! There is an iniquity within me that Scripture talks about. I’m twisted up inside, contorted. I just can’t get things right! Like a piece of warped lumber. “All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Scripture tells us. We’re wired that way. We tend to be selfish and turned inward wanting to be our own gods with our world revolving around us. We’re all in that place, Scripture says. A few years ago, John Ortburg wrote a book called, “The Life You’ve Always Wanted.” In it he tells a story illustrating this. Some years ago, we traded in my old Volkswagen Super Beetle for our first piece of new furniture: a mauve sofa. The man at the furniture store warned us not to get it when he found out we had small children. “You don’t want a mauve sofa” he advised. “Get something the color of dirt.” But with the naive optimism of young parenthood we said, “We know how to handle our children. Give us the mauve sofa.” From that moment on everyone knew the number one rule in the house. DON’T SIT ON THE MAUVE SOFA. DON’T TOUCH THE MAUVE SOFA. DON’T PLAY AROUND THE MAUVE SOFA. DON’T EAT ON, BREATHE ON, LOOK AT, OR THINK ABOUT THE MAUVE SOFA. It was like the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden. “On every other chair in the house you may freely sit, but upon this sofa, the mauve sofa, you may not sit, for in the day you sit thereupon, you shall surely die.” Then came the Fall. One day there appeared on the mauve sofa a stain. A red stain. A red jelly stain. So my wife, who had chosen the mauve sofa and adored it, lined up our three children in front of it: Laura, age four, Mallory, two and a half, and Johnny, six months. “Do you see that, children?” she asked. “That’s a stain. A red stain. A red jelly stain. The man at the sofa store says it is not coming out. Not forever. Do you know how long forever is, children? That’s how long we’re going to stand here until one of you tells me who put the stain on the mauve sofa.” Mallory was the first to break. With trembling lips and tear-filled eyes she said “Laura did it.” Laura passionately denied it. Then there was silence, for the longest time. No one said a word. I knew the children wouldn’t, for they had never seen mom so upset. I knew they wouldn’t because they knew that if they did, they would spend eternity in the timeout chair. I knew they wouldn’t because I was the one who put the red jelly stain on the sofa, and I wasn’t saying anything! The truth is, of course, we have all stained the sofa. I am a screwup, a sinner. I have a feeling you are too. Over the years, I’ve...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+john+1%3A5-7&version=NET (I John 1:5-7); https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+john+2%3A3-6&version=NET (2:3-6); https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+john+3%3A7-10&version=NET (3:7-10) Recently I was having a conversation with someone about a professional baseball player, and my friend said to me, I really like that guy. He’s a real Christian. It made me wonder what he meant by that statement. How would you describe what real Christians look like? What is the mark of a real Christian? Someone might say it is someone who is nice, doesn’t swear, and goes to church a lot. Someone else might quote Jesus and say a Christian is known by how they love one another – “By this people know you’re my disciples” (John 13:35). Another may say a Christian is a person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and asked Him into their heart. I believe this is an important question for us because according to surveys three out of four Americans describe themselves as Christians. So how do you know if someone really is a Christian? Maybe you even wonder if you are one. After the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, early Christians struggled with questions like that. They questioned their own faith as well as the faith and teachings of some preachers whom the apostle Paul called liars – people dangerous to the faith. The apostle John, one of Jesus’ original twelve disciples sets out to answer this question in today’s text. What are the signs of a real Christian? John describes three litmus tests, so to speak, that tell us if a person is a Christian. 1. The doctrinal test. What do they believe? 2. The ethical test. How do they live? 3. The relational test. Whom do they love? In today’s passage, John is describing the second test. How do real Christ followers live? First, John says, a real Christian is someone who walks in the light. John starts by saying the message from Jesus is that God is light and in Him is no darkness (evil). What does this mean? Light refers to God’s holiness, His goodness, His perfect conduct and character. He is describing the ethical, moral conduct and character of the Almighty. Therefore God’s children – those who trust Jesus – are to walk as children of light. They are to act with holiness and goodness, walking in God’s light, not in the darkness of evil. They are to put aside all sin. John tells us of the benefits of walking in the light: we have fellowship with one another and forgiveness. It makes sense, for obstacles are removed and we enjoy fellowship with other light walkers as we obediently and sacrificially love one another as Jesus commanded us to do. We no longer trip over one another but enjoy and serve one another in holy fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We also have access to forgiveness when we sin against God and one another. We will never be perfect, but as we walk in the light of God, we also walk in the light of the gospel of forgiveness. We have a Savior who has gone to the cross to pay for our sins and cleanse us in God’s sight. His blood payment for sin provides a never-ending stream of grace, cleansing, and forgiveness for those children of light. The second thing John points out to us is, real Christians not only walk in the light, but they also walk as Jesus did – obediently. John writes, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ (Jesus) but does not obey his commandments is a liar . . .” That’s strong language. “By this we may know that we are in him,” John says, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which Jesus walked.” So if someone says they are a Christian, John is saying here, their faith will be evident in their life. Are they walking the talk? Are they living obediently to God’s commands, walking as Jesus walked? Unfortunately, many contemporary Christians are not making that kind of connection in...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+John+1%3A1-4&version=NIV (I John 1:1-4) I have an important personal question for you today. How would you describe your faith life? Would you describe it as strong? Deep? Intimate? Filled with joy? Throughout my own ministry I have come across people who wistfully say things like, I wish I had a deeper walk with God. Or a deeper well to draw from that never runs dry. I wish I had a sense of God really being with me, empowering me, leading me, guiding me. I wish I had a deeper joy and enthusiasm and confidence. That’s exactly what the apostle John wants to assist us in realizing, as we read his letter and act upon it. John had the privilege of walking with Jesus down those dusty roads of Galilee for three years. He observed and learned from Jesus, which impacted his life in amazing ways. John, along with his brother James, had been a rather rough-and-tumble character. They were called the Sons of Thunder – referring to their boisterousness, looking out for themselves. Climbing the ladder of success and power was at the top of their agenda. They became angry to the point of wanting to destroy people who would not receive their friend Jesus. Now those attitudes are gone. This letter doesn’t sound anything like those guys. John has changed into a confident, loving servant of Christ. We find him anxious to pass along some very important truths that can change our lives. We are going to examine this letter for the next few weeks. John’s purpose in this letter is to convey to his readers the joy he has found through years of living with Jesus. John is so anxious to make his point with us that he skips the formality you would normally find in a New Testament letter. This letter’s opening has no dear so-and-so, grace and peace to you, or introduction of himself as a servant of Christ. John cuts right to the chase as he begins with a proclamation: We testify and proclaim to you! Who is this we? John means himself along with the other apostles of Jesus and first-generation Christian witnesses of Jesus. When someone issues a proclamation, he is saying, Hey, this is an important announcement! Listen up! Take it in and act upon it! So what’s the proclamation? It’s all about Jesus! Look at this proclamation’s opening words; he says “that which was from the beginning.” This takes us back to the Gospel of John. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth.” John is describing the pre-existence of Christ. Jesus was there in the beginning. He’s the Son of God. He writes, He was made manifest (or revealed) to us. John then launches into his personal testimony about life with Jesus. John says I have walked with Him, I have heard Him say in person say “If you see me you have seen the Father.” I have gazed upon Him and marveled at Him as I saw Him feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes, or calm a storm upon the sea or raise His friend Lazarus back to life. With my own eyes I saw Jesus resurrected after His death upon a cross, and I have touched Him. I’ve leaned on Him during the Last Supper in the Upper Room. I remember His hand upon my shoulder as He encouraged me. He’s not made up; He’s not an illusion; He’s not an apparition of some sort. He is for real! John is using court language used in ancient days, as if he were swearing out a deposition. This is not just a bunch of charming tales about Jesus, John says. Rather he stresses that he is an eyewitness, and he is testifying to the truth of Jesus. Christ really existed, and He really did all that you’ve heard about Him! The experience I had with Him has impacted and changed my life. The words John is using for this deposition is in the present tense which indicates a past action that continues to have results in his life. I...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Samuel+18%3A5-12%2C+19%3A1&version=NASB (I Samuel 18:5-12, 19:1) Every person experiences life’s unfairness. Every person goes through periods of suffering. And in every person’s life, are moments where people in our circle of relationship treat us with injustice and unfairness. Today I want to visit about David and King Saul. Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running. In today’s story, King Saul is the lion and David is the gazelle. David spends 10 years of his life on the run in danger from Saul. David is the prey, and King Saul is the predator. How do we deal in life with people who mistreat us? How do we deal with life when all of it feels unfair? I think David teaches us some important lessons of faith. Let’s remember a little biblical history. King Saul was anointed by Samuel to be the first king of God’s people. He had a prophetic gift. He had leadership qualities. He was tall and a victorious warrior. He was the type of individual that dripped with potential, and every man would want his daughter to marry a man like Saul. But, despite all his good qualities, King Saul, at key moments, lived in disobedience to God without remorse. None of us are perfect but when we fall or when we fail, we repent of our wrong. We regret what we have done. Not King Saul. He was defiant in his disobedience. So God said, “I have taken your kingdom, Saul, and gave it to another. In another place in God’s Word it says, “The Spirit of God left Saul, and he knew it not.” So Samuel, instructed by God, anointed David to be the next king. It’s a fascinating story in I Samuel 16 where God reminds Samuel, human beings look at the outward appearance, but God sees the heart. It says in the book of Acts that God found in David a man who sought His heart. I wish to be that man in my faith life. The proof of God’s anointing with the Spirit’s power in David’s life was played out when he was victorious over the giant Philistine, Goliath. Saul saw in David someone he could use for tremendous advantage, so David became a tremendously victorious soldier in Saul’s army, and he became wildly popular with the people. That led to this song of the women, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” In that moment, the heart of King Saul was revealed. Saul was jealous, angry, and displeased. From that day on, Saul’s heart turned against David. Saul was troubled and obsessively paranoid, insecure. He found it difficult to trust anyone and thought everyone was against him. He was the victim, and he blamed others for his failures. He would attack anyone who he thought was a threat to his power or made him look bad. He was an emotionally unbalanced narcissist, and he thought the kingdom was his to possess, not God’s. On one occasion, Saul promised his daughter in marriage to David but gave her to another. Then Saul learned that his other daughter Michal loved David. Perfect! King Saul thought. I’m going to require a dowry of David of proof of a hundred Philistines’ lives. He’ll either die in battle or become the loathed, hated target of the Philistines. David continued to have tremendous military success and raised the dowry by killing two hundred Philistines. That led up to that day where Saul was so upset emotionally, in a reactive moment he hurled the spear trying to pin David’s body to the wall as he played the harp. Do you know anyone in your life who is the equivalent of a spear thrower like King Saul? Someone who is toxic, self absorbed, and committed to your destruction? Someone who wants to dangerously hurt you in order to promote themselves? Someone who is...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A18-27&version=NIV (John 15:18-27) I have experienced times in my ministry when I struggle with writing a sermon for the week, or I feel overwhelmed by a big project. In talking with a friend about the challenges I am facing, he’ll say, I’ll be praying for you! And my response is typically, I can use all the help I can get! I imagine many of you have uttered those same words at one time or another. Jesus’ disciples probably felt the same sentiment as He spoke to them in the Upper Room about the challenges that lay ahead. He was basically telling them, You are going to take some hits for me. Earlier He had told them the student is not above the master. If they hated me and rejected me, they will respond to you in the same way as my disciples, for you belong to me instead of the world. You throw your loyalty and identity to me instead of the beliefs and values of those who are opposed to your heavenly Father. Jesus knew what He was talking about. Those disciples were arrested and stood in courts before the powers that be. They were persecuted for their faith, thrown out of communities, stoned to death, tortured, fed to the lions, and executed as the stories in the book of Acts tell us. They all died as martyrs. It hasn’t stopped throughout history. We still see the truth of Jesus’ words in our modern world today. I regularly get an enewsletter from a group called “Voice of the Martyrs.” Their stories are so tragic! Anti-Christian hatred is expressed and Christians are openly attacked for their belief in Jesus Christ in places like North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, Laos, and China. The list goes on and on. Persecution also happens in the West, but in more muted ways. It might be expressed in the form of disapproval, ridicule, pressures to conform, shunning, harassment, lost opportunities, a condescending attitude, intolerance, name-calling. I remember reading a story years ago that was written by a child’s mother. It said, “My child was at an overnight party one time. He was just a little elementary school kid. They were watching some things on TV and he said, “I wonder if Jesus would watch this stuff.” Of course, the host was horrified that this child pointed this out and apologized to the mom and dad. However, the child was never invited to another party. I’ve had friends who, when I tell them I am a Christian, respond, “You’re kidding me. I thought you were more intelligent than that!” We are oftentimes referred to as intolerant or narrow because of our belief of Jesus being the Way, the Truth, and the life. We believe no one comes to the Father but by Him. Those disciples had to have been feeling, This is too much for me to put my head around. I’m going to need some help, all the help I can get. First Jesus gave them some reassuring words. He told them, “Some will reject me, but you will have some wins along the way. Some will believe in the midst of these negative statements. Some will respond positively, put their belief in me, and follow my teachings.” But notice, in the last two verses of our text for today, Jesus gives us some powerful assurance. I’m sending you help. Help is on the way. “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” Jesus promised them a Helper, and He kept His promise. Today is Pentecost in the church year. We remember the day that Help arrived, just as Jesus promised. He testified to Jesus on that first Pentecost. There were wind and flames, tongues of fire, different languages. Three thousand people converted to the Christian faith and received a changed life. All this happened in a very hostile environment, the city where Jesus was crucified. And it was the work of the Holy Spirit testifying, convicting, converting...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A6-19&version=NRSVACE (John 17:6-19) Today is Mother’s Day, a time to focus on mom, to think about her and maybe even give thanks for some good memories with her. I have to say, I’ve been blessed with some good ones. I was blessed with a loving, nurturing mother. I never had a moment of doubt that mom loved me. She gave her all in raising me, taking care of me, helping me, encouraging me, guiding me, hugging me, forgiving me when I messed up, loving me no matter what, not to mention seeing to all my physical needs – feeding me and putting clothes on me. I felt absolutely secure in her love. She and dad took those promises they made at my baptism seriously. They raised me in the Christian faith keeping me connected with the church and trusting Jesus. A memory of my mom comes to mind as I was studying the passage for today. It was when I was leaving for college, and she put me on the train leaving Livingston, Montana for Minneapolis, Minnesota and then down to Iowa. On that day it seemed like the other side of the world for mom and for me. As we stood at the train station, I gave her a hug and said goodbye. While we squeezed each another, I felt her shaking a little bit. I looked into her face, and saw she was crying. My heart melted as I saw her tears, and I got a little teary myself. It was hard for both of us to say goodbye. We had done a lot of life together. But I knew that as I set off on this new chapter of life, mom would continue to pray for me and hold me up to God for protection, guidance, and blessing. I knew that because mom loved me. I thank God for her and all she did for me. She graduated to heaven back in 1993 at the young age of 59, and I still miss her. I always will. I share this story with you because I wonder if Jesus had to choke back a tear or two – like my mom – as He sat with His disciples in the upper room the night before He went to the cross to complete His salvation mission. Everything was about to change. These men had been with Him in training for 3 years, 24/7. They were close! Now He is about to leave them to return to the Father. He would no longer be present with them, at least not physically present as they had experienced Him for three years. We know Jesus loved them deeply. While we don’t know if there were tears, we do know He prayed for them, and it was a touching, heartfelt prayer – so heartfelt, in fact, that John recorded in his Gospel. Some scholars refer to this prayer as the real Lord’s prayer, because the prayer He had taught them earlier was for the disciples – not Him – to use. He never had to ask for forgiveness, for He was perfect. In this passage, they heard some wonderful, intimate, personal praying. The prayer has three parts and begins in John 17. In the opening, Jesus prays for His mission, that God would be glorified in Him as He went to the cross. Then He began to pray for His disciples. I wonder how they felt as they listened to those petitions on their behalf. I can only draw from my own experience. When someone is praying for me in front of me, I feel cared about. The truth is, folks, you really don’t have to wonder how they felt because interestingly enough, you are included in His prayer. That’s right. He was praying not only for them but for you and me as well. In verse 9, Jesus says about believers in Christ, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” The things He wanted for the disciples, He wants for you. So let’s take a look at the petitions He gave for them and for you. Jesus told the Father of the disciples’ (and our) value to Him referring to them as gifts from God. He described what He had been teaching them and how far along they had come. He said, Now that I am about to leave them behind in this dangerous world, I’m entrusting them, Father to Your care. Listen to these petitions. First of
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A12-17&version=RSVCE (John 15:12-17) The human heart possesses a deep longing for friendship. As human beings created in the image of God, we are wired for friendship. A great author of long ago wrote, “A friend is what the heart needs all the time.” How true it is! We long to know and to be known, to be accepted and cared about by others. We long for intimate connections, to have someone in our corner in the good times and the bad, through thick and thin, who won’t desert us when the going gets tough. We need someone who understands us, knows us through and through and likes us anyway. From the time we are young to the end of our lives, we are always on the lookout for a friend. We see signs of this longing in our culture, signs of the importance of friends. Years ago, back in the late 60s/early 70s, a song came out that received a lot of air play. It was called, “You’ve Got a Friend,” and it seemed to resonate with the longing in our human hearts to be a friend and to have a friend. ♪Just call out my name, You know wherever I am, I’ll come running. You’ve got a friend. ♬ Of course, we remember back in the 90s a popular TV show called “Friends.” It had a big audience. The show seemed to resonate with that generation. One of the better selling books in the 70s and 80s was “The Friendship Factor” by Dr. Alan Loy McGinnis. People were trying to figure out how to have more friends in their lives. Lately we find a lot of talk about Facebook friends. Over the centuries, even, we find very positive statements about the value of having friendship. For example, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” The philosopher Cicero said, “What sweetness is left in life if you take away friendship?” Even way back in the biblical times, King Solomon wrote in the book of Proverbs, “A man with many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Solomon also said, “A friend loves at all times. Kinsfolk are born to share in adversity” (Prov. 17:17). He understood the value of friendship. We value friends and typically long for more of them in our lives. However, close friendships are missing in some people’s lives, which can be quite a painful experience. I recall Mother Teresa saying one time, “The greatest disease today is not leprosy or cancer; it is the feeling of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for.” People need friends. Yet 70% of Americans admit that while they have many acquaintances, they have very few close friends, and they recognize this as a void in their lives. Listen to this sad scenario about Ken who played golf with the same group of guys for 15 years. When he had to give up golf, he was surprised and dismayed to find he seldom saw his companions or heard from them anymore. “I guess all we had in common was golf. Our conversations were at the head level but not at the heart level.” A close friendship was missing there. These days, I’ve noticed that as people try to fill the void with Facebook, they find themselves disappointed. Facebook friends, you see, mostly are not really friends. They won’t be there when you need someone in your corner. Deep inside of us, it’s true – there is a longing, a voice that says I wish I had someone who really understands me, likes me, and is there for me. The good news for the day is you do! You really do! You have the best friend of all in Jesus Christ. When I was a kid growing up in church, we would sing a hymn about Jesus. ♪One there is, above all others, Well deserves the name of friend♬ It is so very true – we all need proper friends in life. Jesus Himself is the truest of all friends. Let me explain. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus, in an upper room with His disciples, said some very important things to them. His words are recorded in John’s Gospel, chapters 13-17. One of the subjects covered by...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A31-39&version=NASB (Romans 8:31-39) L’amour de Dieu est folie! This French phrase translates, “The love of God is folly.” Brennan Manning in his book “The Ragamuffin Gospel” says that on Easter morning in France you’ll see this phrase posted on the side of buildings, busses, and houses, and graffitied on sidewalks. The French sing it in their churches in worship and use it as a greeting when they wave to the neighbors. The love of God is folly. God’s love is extravagant. In the season of Easter, we are remembering the profound truth that Jesus Christ, who was crucified and buried in a sealed tomb with Roman guards outside, is now risen from the dead never to die again. Death could not hold Him. Is God’s initiative to send His Son into the world in love to save us and invite us to trust Him, a fool’s mission? It does sound a little crazy that an all-powerful God would be born taking on the limits of humanity. He then would live a perfect life, reveal Himself in signs and wonders and miracles, teach about the kingdom of God, then face false charges, be arrested and crucified, though He was perfect. It seems illogical to take on the sins of all humanity and then be raised from the dead in victory to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all who believe and the invitation to reconciliation in the love of God. Some say the love of God is folly. It is a fool’s mission because it’s illogical, irrational, and ill-advised. Perhaps even a wasted effort. The psalmist says, “The fool says in his heart there is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Contemporary philosophers might say it this way: The value of God is dead. It’s as if some have concluded God is irrelevant. Could it be the German philosopher Feuerbach, who lived in the 19th century, was correct when he said God is the projection of human fears? That God didn’t create us, but men created God in order to placate our own fears because of our weaknesses and limits? Is God just a figment of imagination to comfort our terrorized souls? Is Jesus alive from the dead? The truth of Easter’s message is the heartbeat of God’s revelation to the world. Paul said, “If Jesus Christ has not been raised, than your faith is worthless and you’re still in your sins” (I Cor. 15:17). Ken Davis tells the story of a woman who saw her German Shepherd shaking the life out of a neighbor’s pet rabbit. Her family didn’t get along well with the neighbors, and she knew this would be a disaster. So she grabbed her broom and pummeled the dog until it finally dropped the dead rabbit from its mouth. Seeing the dead rabbit, she panicked. She grabbed the rabbit, took it inside, gave it a bath, blow dried its hair to its original fluffiness, combed its fur until it looked alive again, and then snuck into the neighbor’s yard and propped it up so it looked alive. An hour later, she heard screams from next door. She went outside and asked what was going on. The neighbor woman said, Our rabbit! Our rabbit! He died two weeks ago, and we buried him. Now he’s back! This is a funny and absurd story. Everybody knows dead rabbits don’t come back to life. From a human logic standpoint, we’d also assert that when human beings breathe their last, they also don’t come back to life. But the truth of the message of Easter says, Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world – for my sins – was raised from the dead never to die again. In the message of Easter in Luke 24, the women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Two angels told them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Jesus isn’t here. He is risen, just as he said.” The disciples, when the women told them what they experienced and what the angel said, believed their words to be nonsense, foolishness. Luke, the physician actually uses a medical term for nonsense. It could be translated, the babbling...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A11-18&version=NRSVACE (John 10:11-18) Christian author, Dr. Gerhard Frost, tells a wonderful story in his devotional book, Homing in the Presence. “It was a concert in the park, and my friend and her little granddaughter were enjoying it together. The child was completely captivated by this, her first orchestra concert. She sat transfixed through each number. And then each time the music stopped, she’d move a little bit closer, forgetful of her surroundings, with grandma following each time she moved. At last she was as close as she could get. She stood at the very foot of the stage lost in the lights and sounds of the many instruments. When the concert ended, for a brief anxious moment, the child realized how far she had wandered away. She turned to see her grandmother standing behind her, and with a smile of relief she cried, ‘O, I knew I could depend on you, grandma.’” As Christians, we have someone of whom we can say the same thing – I know I can depend on You. I’m talking about Jesus. You really can depend on Him! He is highly committed to giving you a full and abundant life with Him. This is the gist of His appeal in today’s passage. You can depend on Me. Trust Me. There have always been people who have not discovered this truth, many who are puzzled by Jesus. They are not sure of what to make of Him. They are curious of Him, they find Him interesting, but choose to not take Him seriously. Some are put off by Him, even threatened by Him, so they stand ready to classify Him as a fraud or a lunatic to be rejected and ignored. Such is the case in our story for today from John’s Gospel. Jesus, you see, is talking to a divided crowd. For a little context, Jesus had just healed the blind man. But the religious authorities condemned Him for it, saying, “He is a sinner because He healed on the Sabbath. He is not from God.” However, others in the crowd disagreed with the Pharisees. They weren’t sure about Jesus and thought the Pharisees were being a little rough on Him. Can a guy who heals like that really be a sinner? They hadn’t decided for themselves about Jesus. We also have the disciples of Jesus there who believe in Him. It is a very divided crowd. In response to this, Jesus launches into an interesting talk which John describes for us in the tenth chapter of his Gospel. He begins describing who Jesus is and what life with Him can be like. He tries to help them understand Jesus. At first Jesus uses metaphors to describe Himself, people in general, and the religious authorities who are so opposed to Him. This imagery would have been familiar with anyone living in that agricultural society. He talks about sheep, thieves, a shepherd, a sheepfold, a gatekeeper, a gate, hired hands, and wolves. Jesus first talks about thieves and bandits. It is His way of describing the opposition, the religious authorities who are after Him. He says they can’t get in the sheep fold. They’re not the real deal. They don’t have access. Jesus says people are kind of like sheep. Being called sheep is not all that flattering of an image when you think about it. After all, everyone knows sheep need a shepherd to care for them because on their own they are helpless and in need of guidance and care. They’re not all that smart and need protection against predators. It really is, though, an apt description for people. We are like sheep, although we don’t like to admit it. We like to believe we are independent operators, quite capable of taking care of ourselves in this world. But then life situations happen and we realize the truth – we need help. We need a Shepherd to care for us. This sheep thought is not really new. In the Old Testament, Israel was frequently referred to as the sheep of God’s pasture in the book of Psalms. They would scatter and go astray in some of the prophetic books and in the New Testament. When Jesus came along, He referred to them
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A36-49&version=NRSVACE (Luke 24:36-49) Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Two Sundays ago, we celebrated the greatest day of the year for the Christian Church – Easter Sunday. All around the globe, church pews were filled with people singing glorious hymns and announcing to one another, “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!” We also reviewed the story of Easter – the empty tomb, the stone that was rolled away, the angelic news that Jesus, who was crucified on Friday, was now risen and alive. We remember the implications His resurrection has for us. Death is defeated. Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection. I have a promise in Him of eternal life with God. Death cannot hold me. Jesus’ promise – I am the resurrection and the life – is true! “Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die,” Jesus said in John 11:25. So I place my trust in Christ and what He has done for me. Not only that, but forgiveness is also mine now, a restored relationship with God. Jesus died on a cross as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. God raised Him from the grave as an affirmation of that sacrifice. Jesus was vindicated. God’s stamp of approval was upon His ministry. By repenting and trusting in Jesus Christ, we have forgiveness and a restored relationship with our heavenly Father from whom we were separated. By the way, because of the resurrection, not a single moment of my life has to be lived alone. Christ has promised, “I won’t leave you orphaned. I will come to you.” (John 14:18). “Lo, I am with you always to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). He is present to strengthen, comfort, and encourage, teach, and even change us. He loves us as we are, but refuses to leave us that way. He has plans for us, to give us a whole new life and a whole new outlook on life. The good news of the Easter message is the linchpin of our faith. The resurrection of Jesus from the grave fills us with the promise of eternal life with God and forgiveness as we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus Christ. But now that we have celebrated this major event, next comes the question, Where do we go from here? My question today is, So what now? A few years ago I was having a conversation with my father-in-law, Homer Larsen, about church and Easter celebrations at our congregations. We were sharing stories about the great attendance and what our sermon themes were that day. When there was a pause in the conversation, Homer said, “Well, Steve old boy, we’ve seen Him through His birth and ministry, we prepared ourselves for the cross and Lent, we watched Him get killed, and we celebrated His resurrection. So what now?” I think Homer was probably asking what my sermon series was going to be. But as I was thought more about it, I realized it is a great question for the Church and for each individual believer to ask. So what Now? Christ is risen. What’s next? This same question, I think, had to be running through the minds of those disciples that first Easter. We see them in our reading today. They are discussing the events of earlier that same day – the empty tomb and His appearances. They are comparing notes and seem a bit overwhelmed, confused, surprised, afraid, and uncertain about all they had seen and heard. Some, like Peter, said they had seen Him. He has to be alive! Others had to have been thinking, Are you sure? Really? Maybe Peter saw a ghost. You know, our minds can play tricks on us, especially after such a trauma like we went through. Others may wonder, What are the Lord’s feelings toward us now? After all, we let Him down. Is He mad at us? Others – maybe all of them – were thinking, So what’s next for us? What does this mean for us now? What are we supposed to do? Where do we go from here? What now? Jesus didn’t leave them – or us – in the dark as to the answer to the question. Let’s take a look at His...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A3-11&version=NRSVACE (Acts 1:3-11) He’s like no other. Sometimes we will use that line as we’re describing someone by whom we’re absolutely impressed. The star struck lover, for example, who is head over heels over a young lady – She’s wonderful! I’ve dated so many women but this one! She’s like no other one I have ever met. Or the sports broadcaster commenting on a promising young ballplayer – I’ve been at this for many years, and this kid is the most amazing athlete I’ve ever seen! He’s faster. He’s got great instincts, quick hands, power. He’s got all the tools, and he’s different. He’s like no other ballplayer I’ve ever seen! In the Christian faith, we say this about Jesus Christ – He is like no other. He is the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to a relationship with God but through Him. The world is filled with ideologies, theologies, choices, decisions, and options making various claims, but as a person who has met and lived with Jesus Christ, I’m convinced that He is like no other. Jesus is above and beyond all other options. One’s eternity depends on following Him. Just think of His impact on the world. It is like no other. The historian Jaroslav Pelikan said, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about Him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries.” We have been doing a close examination of this Jesus – Who is like no other – during the past few weeks. We’ve seen He was promised like no other. Prophets, hundreds of years prior to His arrival, talked about Him, and Jesus fulfilled those prophecies. His birth was like no other. He was born of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was true God and true man. He taught like no other – with such authority – as if He knew God’s mind. He spoke truths that struck many as absolutely upside down and like no other from worldly thinking. His death was like no other. It was not a martyr’s death but an atoning sacrifice to pay for the sins of people like you and me. Jesus was resurrected like no other. He was dead, but three days later the tomb was empty, and He began to appear to many – the women, the disciples, to five hundred at one time. Muhammad is dead, Confucius is dead, Buddha is dead, Moses is dead, but Jesus is alive. He is like no other. Today we are looking at one last earth shaking thought about Him. Jesus ascended like no other. Our text tells us Jesus appeared up out of nowhere, here, there, and everywhere for forty days. Wherever the disciples turned, it seemed, Jesus showed up. They were locked in an upper room, and there He was. It probably got to the point where they were afraid to even look around the corner; they were expecting to see Him. It was as if He was trying to teach them, I told you I’d never leave you. During that time, Jesus is teaching them about the kingdom of God, which was His main message. God’s major project is to turn this world around, and He was the one who was bringing it. He taught about the Holy Spirit, who was to come, saying, Stay in Jerusalem. Power will come upon you. John the Baptist baptized you with water for repentance but the Holy Spirit will bring you power. With all this talk about the kingdom and the Spirit, one day the disciples asked, Is this the time the kingdom of Israel will be restored? They were still thinking politically, establishing His role as a world power. Jesus just shakes His head and says, “Those things are not for you to know the times and places, but listen, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you shall be my witnesses unto Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria – all the way to the ends of the earth. You will make a difference for the kingdom of God.” Then the Ascension happened, and Jesus disappeared. He was lifted up, and disappeared into a cloud. The modern church tends to not make a big deal...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A1-8&version=NRSVACE (Mark 16:1-8) An expression I sometimes will hear used is this idiom, “the bottom line,” which is someone’s way of saying the underlying truth of it all. For instance, a traveler might say, If our flight is late, we’ll miss our connection. That’s the bottom line. Or a school board member may say, A student with special needs can stress the school’s budget, but the bottom line is the state must provide for the child’s education. A coach might say, The bottom line is we’re here to win, and everybody here should have that mindset. Or the starry-eyed lover who says to his sweetheart, The bottom line is this, darling – I just can’t live without you. What would you say is the bottom line of the Christian faith? I would suggest to you that it is these three words: Christ has risen! This is our ultimate underlying truth as followers of Jesus Christ. Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! I want to begin today by saying, If Jesus was who He said He was, and if He really did come back from the dead, then biblical Christianity is true and other religions are false. Jesus Christ is like no other because He is resurrected like no other. Moses, as great as he was, is dead. Mohammed is dead. Buddha is dead. Confucius is dead. Joseph Smith is dead. Any and all other founders of the world’s religions are dead. Only Jesus Christ overcame death, establishing once and for all the truth of His deity. Thus, no other person who has lived can or should claim our allegiance as Jesus does, because He alone can offer us the gift of salvation and the assurance of eternal life. Christ’s resurrection, you see, is the linchpin of the Christian faith. Paul says in I Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” But He is risen. He is risen indeed. Someone might ask, as many have in the last two thousand years, Does the evidence really hold up? Let’s check it out. In today’s story, we have an empty tomb. The women saw where the dead Jesus had been placed on the day He died. Now He’s gone. They hear the announcement of the angel – “He has been raised. He is not here just, as he said.” The women are confused and afraid as are the disciples. Hearing this news totally surprises them, and they are finding it difficult to believe at first. But then resurrection appearances begin to happen. Jesus sightings. The women, the disciples, five hundred people at one time, the apostle Paul. Then there’s the lives of those disciples after the resurrection. Absolutely different! Once they were so full of fear and scattering like sheep when the pressure was on, but now they stand confident and willing to die for this message about Jesus. And all of them, by the way, did die for this fact of the resurrection. Would they do that if it were a lie? Would anyone die for something they made up? Look at Jesus’ opponents. They couldn’t argue that the tomb was empty, and no one could produce a body. Later some of them even became convinced enough to become believers themselves. Now some may say, Can we really trust the accuracy of the Bible? Scholars of textual criticism say, Yes. It’s more accurate than any other historical document from classical history. Yes, we can trust Scripture. So the bottom line of this evidence checking is, Christ is risen; He is risen indeed! This is our proclamation today. The bottom line means Jesus is the Savior of the world. His death on the cross saved us from sin and its consequences. He was the perfect sacrifice taking our place, our punishment for our sin, which separates us from God. He was God’s gift to us. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, as John the Baptist called Him. God raised Jesus from the dead as His way of saying yes! to the sacrifice. He means forgiveness for your sins and a restored...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+19%3A29-38&version=NIV (Luke 19:29-38) We can hear the melody of Handels’ Messiah as we listen to the words of Isaiah 9. “His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” The country prophet named Jesus bounces on the donkey’s back as he enters Jerusalem gates. The crowd sings praises. “Peace in heaven,” they cry. “Glory to God.” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” They wave their palm branches and throw their cloaks on the dusty trail before the donkey as He comes down the road. Jesus came through the gates of Jerusalem to fulfill the purpose for which God had sent Him to the world. God’s plan for peace was being realized as Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came through Jerusalem’s Gates. Are you at peace? Are you at peace with God? There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all those paintings, but he really liked only two, and he decided to choose between them. One was a painting of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful mountains all around it. Overhead was blue sky with fluffy white clouds. Every one who saw this painting thought it was a perfect picture of peace. The second painting had mountains also, but these were rugged and bare. Above them was an angry sky from which rain fell and lightening flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There in the midst of the rushing, turbulent waters sat a mother bird on her nest in perfect peace. Which painting do you think won the prize? The king chose the second painting. Why? “Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. The real meaning of peace is to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.” How do you define peace? At any level of life, in any of your relationships, in our world, what would you say? Peace is perfect tranquility, an absence of conflict or fighting or war. Peace is a state of rest. Peace is harmony. Experientially I might feel at peace as I float in a boat watching sunlight dance on the waves of a lake. I might feel peace as I look at the snow-capped mountains stretching across the valley before my eyes, or have my family gathered around the feast at the Thanksgiving table with laughter and love. I might define peace as freedom from all anxiety and fear. The ancient Hebrews in the Old Testament, with the word we translate shalom, talked about peace as prosperity, an abundance of everything, victory over all enemies, living by faith in harmony with God. The Hebrews’ understanding of peace was inseparable from a relationship of love, trust, and harmony with God. Faith welcomes God to His proper place of ruling our hearts, minds, and lives. Then we can experience lasting peace. With all the craziness of our lives and our world, what makes for peace? Why is it so elusive? I once knew two brothers who inherited the family estate. One was a farmer. The other worked at a local elevator and rented his share of the estate to his brother. Well, the farmer brother was a big operator, and one fall he experienced a tremendous crop failure. The prices for crops were way too low, and he couldn’t make his obligations. The second brother forced payment for the rental of his ground, which flipped the farmer brother into foreclosure at the bank, and he lost everything. To their very death beds, these two brothers lived estranged from one another and bitter to the end. What would peace look like for them? I know of a man who has fought bravely with cancer. He was terminally ill for years of treatments, surgeries, hospital stays,...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A16-20%2C+22-37&version=NRSVACE (Mark 15:16-20, 22-37) For the past 31 years at my congregation’s Good Friday worship services, we read the entire Passion story of Christ’s suffering and death with hymns interspersed between each scene. It is a meaningful experience for us. The reason I insist on doing it this way is I believe it is important to be reminded of the cruelty, brutality, evil, and darkness Jesus went through for us. One has to agree, it is a dark, gruesome story as we observe humanity at its worst. Jesus suffered greatly at the hands of sinful, mean spirited men. We look at the beatings, the humiliation, the crown of thorns, the flogging, the mockery, the spit, the nails in His hands and feet, the injustice, and the desertion and betrayal of friends, and it makes us cringe. However, I always make a point during my message to emphasize to the congregation that what makes the death of Jesus unique (like no other) is not these gruesome details, as important as they are to solemnly review. Death on a cross and the cruel treatment of prisoners was not unusual. But something else was happening at that cross – you might even say it is in the behind-the-scenes – that no one could see but Jesus. His death was different from all others. What makes it so different is the purpose behind it. It was a lifesaving mission of mercy and grace planned by God for our good. In his first sermon, the Apostle Peter told the crowd on Pentecost, “This man, Jesus, was handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). This plan began – as God told the serpent in the garden of Eden – after Adam and Eve’s disobedience in Genesis, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15b). This is a fulfilled promise to Abraham of a Descendant who would be a blessing to all the nations of the world (Genesis 22:18). This is the One whom Isaiah the prophet described would be led like a lamb to the slaughter and by His wounds we would be healed (Isaiah 53:5-7). The death of Jesus was more than a martyr’s death. Look at who is on that cross – Jesus, true man but true God. As the Nicene Creed says, “Very God of very God.” He was utterly innocent and had done no wrong. Yet, here He is on a cross – suffering and dying. In fact, Scripture tells us He was sinless. Peter says in one of his letters in the New Testament that Jesus was without sin. Paul talked of Him as one who knew no sin. He willingly died on the cross. By the way, Jesus didn’t to be dragged to the cross. He actually embraced His oncoming death with authority saying, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18). He chose the cross out of obedience to His heavenly Father who ordained it. Ultimately what made Jesus’ death like no other is, it had to happen. It was a necessity. It was God’s gracious plan to save a perishing world. Jesus told His disciples three times, “I must go to Jerusalem and be rejected and suffer and die, and then on the third day rise again.” I must, He said. It’s that necessary. Why? It is easy to answer. In one word – sin. Sin. All of us have sinned, and we fall short of the glory of God. There is an emphasis on the word all. No one is excluded! What is sin? We’re not just talking about murder and robbing banks here. Our thoughts, our words, our actions, and sometimes our lack of action break God’s commands. We are self-centered. Our thoughts are oftentimes impure. We continually fall short of the mark. To break one commandment is to break them all. Each of us is stained with sin. Guilty! In God’s sight, we are deserving of punishment and cannot save ourselves. We cannot erase the stain or make ourselves right again before God any more than we could...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A35-41&version=NASB (Mark 4:35-41) A number of years ago I was visiting one of my congregational members who had invited me to tour his workplace and have lunch with him. As he was giving me a look around the place, we ran into one of his coworkers. He introduced me as his pastor and asked this man if he had a church home. This person smirked a bit and said, “No. I don’t see what difference a dead guy on a cross can make for anybody,” and then he walked away. A lot of people like him ask, “What’s the big deal about Jesus Christ?” We’ve been answering this question for the last couple weeks in this sermon series entitled, “Like No Other.” Jesus was promised like no other. Hundreds of years before He arrived, the prophets talked about what He would be like. He was described to a tee, and those promises were fulfilled by Jesus. We also see He had a birth like no other, a virgin birth. He was true God and true man. When we look into the eyes of Jesus, we are looking into the eyes of God. Today, we see He has power like no other. We see His power in a story about a storm. Mark has been describing Jesus for us. Mark is an excellent storyteller as he reveals Jesus bit by bit. The disciples were discovering more about Jesus after He called them to follow Him. He began training them as they witnessed His miracles, His power to heal, and His authority to cast out demons. They also get a wonderful teaching from Jesus prior to this storm. He gives them parables, which He explains to them: the parable of the sower, the parable of the mustard seed, the parable of the farmer who planted the seed. In each of these parables, the seed starts out small but soon grows into something big, and the story ends well. Jesus explained these stories by saying: I know this enterprise of mine looks rather small right now as I announce the kingdom of God and God’s plans to rescue this world. But it is going to come to fruition and will make a big splash in a lot of people’s lives. Now Jesus and the disciples are in a boat. It’s the same day they had heard these parables but the teaching is done and Jesus wants to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He goes to the back of the boat and takes a nap. When they get out into the center of the sea, an unexpected storm hits, swamping the boat! Even the fishermen Peter, James, John and Andrew are panicked. What’s going to happen to God’s plans, His promises? The boat is sinking! The disciples look at Jesus who is still asleep. They had to have wondered how He could be sleeping through the storm. The forces of evil were aroused, and it was an angry and threatening storm! Have you ever wondered how Jesus could remain sleeping? Was He so confident in God’s presence and power that He could sleep even in the middle of a storm? Someone once remarked that the disciples had some faith in Jesus, but they didn’t have the faith of Jesus in His heavenly Father. The disciples wake Jesus up asking, “Teacher, don’t you care? We’re perishing!” Look at this statement. First of all, they call Him Teacher! Not, Lord. We get a clue about their relationship with Jesus. He’s still basically a great teacher in their eyes. Furthermore, they think He is uncaring and doesn’t love them after all. After all, He is letting them go through this deadly storm, and He’s not doing anything to help them. They hadn’t figured out an important fact yet, a fact we all need to be reminded of, as well: No one escapes storms in life, even when Jesus is in your boat. You are not untouchable when it comes to hardships, if you are a follower of Christ. This fact had not hit them yet. When pressures came and the storm happened, we see their courage and assurance that Jesus cared or could do something quickly faded. Fear leads to despair that God doesn’t care. It brings about another storm, deep within, a doubt storm, a faith storm. When a...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1%3A26-38&version=NRSVACE (Luke 11:26-38) Quite a few years ago, as I was getting ready to lead a late-night Christmas Eve service, I saw a young lady who was home from college approach me with a young man in tow. After she introduced us, he told me how excited he was to be there, and he was a Muslim. He said, “You know, pastor, we’re brothers! We really do believe the same thing, as far as I’m concerned.” It stunned me for just a moment, but then I responded, “It’s so good to have you here tonight, but we’re not brothers. However, I have some great news to share with you during the worship tonight!” Have you noticed that in the name of open-mindedness, not wanting to be offensive, or perhaps the result of a sheer lack of knowledge, people will try to lump all the religions into one? They are all pretty much the same – love God, love neighbor. Why can’t we get along? The thing is, nothing could be further from the truth. An honest examination of them shows they are not even close to each other. One of the major sticking points is Jesus Christ. What makes Jesus is so unique, like no other? This is what we have been talking about these days. In the first message of the series, we talked about how Jesus was promised like no other by the prophets. Today we see He had a birth like no other. This is the main idea we learn in Mary’s encounter with the angel, Gabriel, in today’s passage. Listen to what the angel said to Mary: “You will conceive in your womb a son . . . He will be great.” In what ways will He be great? First of all, His name will be Jesus, meaning “God will save.” In other words, this child has a mission, and He seems to be connected to God. Second, He will be called the “Son of the Most High.” This is how people will know Him. “Most High” is a term used for God in the Old Testament. “He will be the Son of God,” Gabriel says, “and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever. Of His kingdom there will be no end.” We’re taken back to the promise God made to David that from his descendants kings would always be there to take care of Israel. Now we hear of a great King who is greater than any earthly king. He is forever, an eternal King, a King who has come to take over, to challenge the kingdoms of this world. He is the King above all Kings. All are to kneel before Him and pay Him allegiance. “He will be called Son of God,” Gabriel continues. His birth will be unusual, a miracle! He will be born of a virgin, as we say in our Apostles’ Creed. It’s difficult to comprehend, isn’t it. We know how babies are made. So did Dr. Luke who recorded this for us. So did Matthew who also recorded the virgin birth. They knew full well how babies are made. Mary certainly knew how babies were made, and she asked Gabriel how this was going to happen. Listen to his answer: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary.” In the Old Testament, when people were called upon by God to do great things that were way beyond their capabilities, things only God could do, God would fill them with His Spirit – the prophets, the judges, even some of the kings. You’re going to be spirit-powered, Mary. “The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” We get a picture of the creation story as the Spirit of the Lord moved over the waters, over-shadowing it. God is going create something wonderful within you by His power, not by nature’s power. C. S. Lewis made this wonderful statement about the virgin birth. “Jesus was conceived when God took off the glove of nature and touched Mary with His naked finger. Thus, Jesus did not evolve up and out of history.” Someone once said, “Jesus is infinite and infant.” “Therefore,” Gabriel continues, “this child to be born will be holy,” which means He is set apart for a purpose from all others. He is like no other. Gabriel finishes off by saying, “He will be called Son of God.” Amazing! I love this statement by Peter Larson:...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2%3A18-25&version=NASB (Genesis 2:18-25) Grace, mercy, and peace are always for you from God our father and our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen. Would you associate the words “paradise” and “marriage” in the same sentence? In American culture, we grew up listening to Snow White from Walt Disney’s 1937 animated movie classic singing the song, “Someday my prince will come” It creates a utopian idea of love, a longing of the heart for a euphoric, romantic connection that will last forever. This is natural. In fact, it is how God created us. Today I want us to look at Genesis 2, the story of God’s first marriage joining Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the garden of paradise. What can we learn about the lifetime covenant of marriage from this story? The first thing is, God says it’s not good for man to be alone. He has created us to be relational and to love one another. Adam named the parade of birds and wild beasts but no soul mate was fit for him. It’s difficult to cuddle up with a giraffe, share your mind with a monkey, or think of a loon as your soul mate. So God made a helper suitable for Adam. Scriptures teach that God created us in His image. The essence of God’s character is to love. God created this world and the people in it so He could give His heart to us in love and share a relationship with us in a joyful way. It’s not good for man to be alone. When you and I give and receive love in our relationships, we are reflecting the very image of God. Second, God said He would make a helper suitable for the man. In our culture we think of the word “helper” as meaning inferior, subservient, or of lesser value or status. In the Old Testament this particular Hebrew term is used twenty-one times – twice for Eve in the garden, three times for other helpers, and sixteen times as a description of God Himself. If the term describes God’s action and heart, it can’t possibly imply someone who is inferior or subservient. The term literally translates, someone who is vitally, powerfully, important. A person who is essential in support within a relationship. An individual who brings strength to another and seeks to bless them. No wonder God describes the woman as a helper, a strong, essential, powerful helper vital to Adam in his paradise life. We can conclude that the gift of love – particularly married love – is God’s treasure given from woman to man and from man to woman. Love in this sense is something beautiful. The lover sees the gifted potential in the spouse and draws the best out of them by encouraging and affirming them. Love builds the other up and cheers them on to live for God’s glory. Scripture goes on to say God fashioned the woman for the man. He designed the woman for the man, and we might imply that God designed the man for woman. In our society today there is a promotion of the idea of gender confusion, a blurring of the lines. I’ve even heard people say, “Pick your gender.” In Genesis 2, the Bible tells us something vastly different. It tells us that God, as the Creator, the source of life, designed man for woman and woman for man. Though they’re integral in their connection and made of the same flesh, they are distinctively, delightfully different. Male and female are harnessed together in a way that is a beautiful enhancement of both. As they come together in partnership and companionship, they are stronger together. That is marriage at its best! God fashioned a companion for the man, and she was a wonderful friend and partner to the man. When I think of how God must’ve presented Eve to Adam, I can imagine Adam saying, Wow! At last I have a soul mate. Someone who will resonate with my heart. Someone who will dream dreams with me about our future together. It says the man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and the two become one flesh. Through the years, I have known many wives and children who were left...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+53%3A2-12&version=ESV (Isaiah 53:2-12) What’s so special about Jesus? This question has been asked down through the centuries by many people, and it’s still being asked today. It is asked by the person, who sees all the various faiths of the world around him, then scratches his head and asks, What makes Jesus so special from the others? It is asked by the husband whose wife insists on going to church on Sunday for worship and giving away some of their hard-earned money for the church offering. Who is this Jesus? What makes Him so special? How do you answer that question? We have to admit, He has made quite a splash in this world. I came across an article that points this out. The author, Philip Yancy, writes, “When I switched on my computer this morning, Microsoft Windows flashed the date, implicitly acknowledging that, whatever you may believe about it, the birth of Jesus was so important that it split history into two parts. Everything that has ever happened on this planet falls into the category of before Christ or after Christ. “Richard Nixon got carried away with excitement in 1969 when Apollo astronauts first landed on the moon. ‘It’s the greatest day since Creation!’ crowed the president, until Billy Graham solemnly reminded him of Christmas and Easter. By any measure of history Graham was right. This Galilean, who in his lifetime spoke to fewer people than would fill just one of the many stadia Graham has filled, changed the world more than any other person. He introduced a new force field into history, and now holds the allegiance of a third of all people on earth. “‘More than 1900 years later,’ said H. G. Wells, ‘a historian like myself, who doesn’t even call himself a Christian, finds the picture centering irresistibly around the life and character of this most significant man . . . The historian’s test of an individual’s greatness is ‘What did he leave to grow?’ Did he start men and women to thinking along fresh lines with a vigor that persisted after him? By this test Jesus stands first.’ You can gauge the size of a ship that has passed out of sight by the huge wake it leaves behind.” One has to admit, Jesus Christ has left a HUGE wake.” What makes Jesus like no other, so unique? This is what our sermon series until Holy Week is going to answer. Today, first of all, we say Jesus like no other because He was promised like no other. The entire Old Testament points to Him. God promised Him long before Jesus even entered this world of ours. We see this pointed out again and again in the Gospels, which were written about Jesus – how He fulfilled the Old Testament promises. When He began His ministry, He said in His first sermon, “The time is fulfilled! The kingdom of God is at hand,” as He pointed to Himself. In the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “I have come to fulfill the law and the prophets.” Throughout the Gospels, especially in Matthew, we hear editorials – “This happened to fulfill the prophecy of (so-and-so).” Near the end of Luke, when Jesus has been resurrected and is with His disciples, He explains how the entire Old Testament pointed to Himself. Beginning with Moses and the prophets, Jesus interpreted all the things about Himself in all the Scriptures. All of the Old Testament, you see, points to Jesus. I came across something by Pastor Timothy Keller that I thought really makes a good point here for us. “The Bible is not a series of disconnected stories. It’s a single narrative pointing to one person – Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden (His garden, the Garden of Gethsemane, a much tougher garden). His obedience is now imputed to us. Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go into the void not knowing wither He went . . . Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-2&version=NRSVCE (Romans 12:1-2) Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. This phrase actually originates from an advertising campaign for the United Negro College Fund back in 1972. It has been with us for a lot of years. The organization seeks scholarships for young African-Americans so they can go to college. True, a mind, not given opportunities to learn and to grow, is a terrible thing. The apostle Paul couldn’t agree with it more. Our reading from Romans 12 affirms its truth. It begins with an appeal. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God . . .” Whenever we encounter a “therefore” in Scripture, we need ask what it’s there for. Paul has just spent the first eleven chapters of Romans describing God’s many mercies, what He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. He begins by telling us how God had a problem with us. Our sinfulness led to a broken relationship with Him – and the consequences of sin is death, separation from God forever. God’s answer for this problem was Jesus Christ. While we were still sinners, He gave His Son to die on a cross to pay for our sins. We are justified by faith and receive peace with God as we place our trust in Jesus Christ. God has given us new life in the Holy Spirit who works to reshape and conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are considered adopted children of God. The Holy Spirit is the sign of this. For the believer in Christ, the promise is God is for us and “nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus,” as Paul tells us in the first eleven chapters of Romans. Then Paul tells us, Therefore, in light of all that God has done for us, because of all the mercies He has shown us, live your new life in Christ in grateful response to His grace. Paul’s appeal is this: “. . . offer your bodies (which means your whole self) to God.” Make your life an offering to Him. Paul is using sacrifice language. Dedicate yourself to Him. Your living (holy living set apart for God) is your spiritual worship to the God who saved you. Paul continues, “Don’t be conformed to this world.” In the Good News Version, J. B Phillips says, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold.” This present age, this culture, has twisted values and teaches us that me, myself, and I is number one. We live for ourselves. The Apostle Paul tells us that since we are now in Christ – that is changed – we are to live for others. Don’t be shaped by the world’s norms, but by God’s norms. I came across an article by James Emery White entitled The Most Powerful Education System Ever Known. He writes, “Todd Gitlin, one of the leading thinkers on media and our lives, recently said this: ‘The torrent of images, songs, and stories streaming has become our familiar world. This ‘torrent’ determines what we see and what we don’t, what we think about and what never enters our minds.’ “The media we watch every day has been shaping us for years, whether we know it or not. For example, think of MTV. As its founding chairman, Bob Pittman, stated in a 1982 interview, “If you can get their emotions going and make them forget their logic, you’ve got them. At MTV we don’t shoot for the 14-year-olds; we own them.” “Think of the TV show ‘Friends’ which ran for 10 years in the 90s and into the early 2000s. It is now one of the most popular shows in syndication. Funny, right? But not innocent. A survey of 236 episodes of the sitcom found the characters had a total of 85 sexual partners, and that’s only counting those who appeared on screen. “What does that do to us? More than we realize. What the media does is normalize things like that. If you see likable characters on TV having sex outside of marriage enough times, it becomes not only acceptable but desirable. That’s why Fred Fedele, author of one of the most widely used college textbooks on mass media, writes, ‘The media
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A1-2%2C+11-32&version=NRSVCE (Luke 15:1-2, 11-32) Have you ever found yourself saying, “I need to make some changes in my life.” Oftentimes we’re brought to this conclusion by circumstances. For instance, my pants are uncomfortably tight. I guess I better make some changes in my eating habits. Or this one: I’m scaring my wife and my kids with my drinking. I guess I need to make some changes in my life and get help. Or, I’m feeling stuck in this job. I need to make some changes. The truth is, we get to those kinds of places in life because we’re not very good at running our own lives. I know I’m not. I am a sinner, and when I try to do life on my own terms, which is what sin is all about (like the old song says, “I did it my way”), it typically leads to disaster. I’m just not very good at running life on my own; I’ve learned along the way that no one is. And we’re not very good at getting it fixed either as I try to do it on my own willpower, my own strength. This is illustrated for us in a little children’s book, Frog and Toad Together. The two central characters discover their limits by merely trying to stop eating cookies. When frog bakes a batch of cookies, he says, “We have to stop eating these,” but they keep eating. “We must stop,” they resolve as they eat some more. “We need willpower,” frog finally says while grabbing another cookie. “What is willpower?” asks toad, swallowing another mouthful. “Willpower is trying very hard to not do something you want to do very much,” frog says. Frog discusses a variety of ways to help with willpower – putting the cookies in a box, tying the box shut, putting it high up in the tree – but each time toad points out in between bites that they could climb the tree and untie the box. In desperation, frog finally dumps the remaining cookies outside on the ground and says, “Hey, birds. Here’s cookies. Toad says sadly, “Now we have no more cookies.” “Yes,” says frog, “But we have lots and lots of willpower.” Toad replies, “You may keep it all. I’m going home to bake a cake.” We’re just not very good at changing our lives on our own willpower. Jesus told the story about a young man who tried doing life his way. He insulted his father by saying to him, “I want my share of the inheritance now,” which is the same as saying I wish you were dead. He put the family in financial jeopardy by taking away his part of the inheritance. He cut himself off from his family, his community, and his security, breaking his loved ones’ hearts. He took his money, ran off to the far country, and spent it all. Then a famine hit the land, and he wound up in very sad straights working for a Gentile farmer tending pigs in the field. He would get so hungry, he was tempted to eat what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. No one cared for him. He was destitute and hit bottom. He finally came to a senses. He had a wake-up call of sorts. He thought to himself, My life is heading in a bad direction. I had it made back home under my dad’s roof. What was I thinking? So he put together a little repentance speech to tell his father: I have sinned against God and against you, dad. I’m not worthy be called your son, but I’ll be your hired hand. Just let me do that and he headed toward home, not sure what he would find there. His father could very well, within his rights, have formally cut him off from the family. As he drew near to home, he saw figure running toward him. As the figure got closer, he saw it was his father running like a fool toward him. The father did not care what anyone thought as he lifted up his robes and exposed his underwear to keep from tripping on the robe. We read that the father was waiting and watching for the boy to return, hoping. When he saw him, he lay aside all dignity and ran to him, put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son starts his speech: “Father, I have...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lUKE+2%3A39-52&version=ESV (Luke 2:39-52) Grace and peace are always for you from God our Father and from our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. What do you want to be when you grow up? We often ask that question of children. But if it is asked of us as adults, we might be perplexed, unless the question were directed to the spiritual part of our lives. Are you spiritually all grown up? Have you ever met someone who never grew up? Their body aged, they found a job, got married, and had a family, but emotionally they were immature, irresponsible, undisciplined, undependable, self-centered, underdeveloped. I wonder sometimes if God’s people in Christ’s Church are Peter Pan Christians. Remember what he said, “I’ll never grow up.” We might not consciously say it, but the reality of how we live floating in our spiritual lives without a committed intentionality of maturing has the same result. We never fully develop into the people God created us to be. In Philippians chapter 3, Paul said, “I want to know Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. I press on that I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ.” A parable is told of an American Indian who stole an eagle’s egg and put it in the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life this changeling eagle thought he was a prairie chicken. He did what prairie chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. He flew in brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens fly. Years passed and the changeling eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird far above them in the cloudless sky hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents. The bird soared with scarcely a beat of his strong, golden wings. “What a beautiful bird!” said the changeling eagle to his neighbor. “What is that?” “Oh, that’s an eagle, the chief of birds,” the neighbor clucked. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.” So the changeling eagle never gave it another thought, and he died acting and thinking he was a prairie chicken. God has given us new birth by faith in Jesus Christ intending for us to grow up to become fully developed men and women of faith impacting the world for the sake of God’s kingdom. Today we read the story of Jesus at age twelve in the Temple. He had been separated from his parents for a few days. Jesus is discussing the things of God with the scholars, theologians, and spiritual leaders of His time. I think we can learn a number of key truths about spiritual maturity from this story of Jesus. The first truth is, when we seek God, He will open our heart and mind. After all, discipleship means learning from the Master. It includes a receptivity to learn and a seeking to understand. God doesn’t want churches filled with parrots – people who speak the correct truth, know the creeds, the doctrines of the church but never understand their impact for life or apply those profound truths to our real life ethics. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. C. S. Lewis once wrote, “I talk of love – a scholar’s parrot may talk Greek – but, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin.” Better an honest cynic wrestling with the tough questions of life related to suffering or sickness or death or tragedy in the light of an all-loving God than an apathetic pew sitter who never invites God’s Spirit to lead him on a daily basis. I think about Joni Eareckson Tada, who as a young teenage girl had a diving accident and has lived her whole life from a wheelchair. She has gone on to write multiple books and is well sought after as a Christian speaker – even a singer. The impact she has had to share how faith and suffering go together and her insights into how God is alive and at work in a world because of...
Mark 1:9-15 An acquaintance of mine told me he was not going to watch the news anymore because it was too upsetting and ruined his days. We are sometimes taken aback as we observe what goes on in our world. We open our newspapers or turn on the news and see violence and hatred, racism and opioid addictions, suicides, immorality, self-centeredness, crooked politics, calamities, tragedies and injustice – the list goes on and on. It’s a little overwhelming. We might even go so far as to look inside of ourselves where we discover that we are also the problem. I remember a story I read about G. K. Chesterton, a great Christian writer. The newspaper had written a question, “What’s wrong with this world in which we live?” Chesterton wrote a letter to the editors. He said, Dear Sirs: I am. Signed, G. K. Chesterton. We ask with a sense of disappointment, What kind of a world are we living in? Our Scripture reading for today offers some valuable insights. In a rather subtle way, it describes the kind of world that greeted Jesus as He began His ministry. When Jesus stepped out of the Jordan River after being baptized by John the Baptist and commissioned into service by His heavenly Father, we see Him stepping into a dark, demonic world. We observe Him in battle, right off the bat, with the prince of darkness – Satan – out in the wilderness for forty days. He was tempted by Satan who sought to undo Him, derail Him from completing His mission. Satan and his minions saw Jesus as the Divine Invader. Later in the chapter, we see the demons cry out, “We know who you are, Jesus. You are the holy One of God.” When Jesus was accused of being Beelzebub (Satan), Jesus referred to Himself as the strong man who came to plunder Satan’s house. Satan continues attacking Him throughout the Gospel, even using Jesus’ disciples to stop His mission to the cross. When Peter says, You don’t have to go to the cross, Jesus says, “Get behind me, Satan. You are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things, selfish things.” I’m reminded of the Christian apologist C. S. Lewis’ quote on this subject. He said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every inch is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” So first off, we see Jesus stepping into a dark, demonic world. Next, we see Him stepping into a hostile world. It is hostile to God. How do we know this? Verse 14 reads, “Now after John was arrested . . .” meaning John the Baptist. It would be unwise for us to just zip by that statement without giving it some thought and reflection. Jesus hears that John the Baptist, this man of God chosen by God, was arrested by the hostile powers in place, namely King Herod, for questioning the King’s character and bringing to light the King’s sinfulness in his marriage. John also pointed to One greater than himself that was to come and save Israel. Herod was hostile to Him, as well. Later, Herod would have John beheaded. He watched his stepdaughter in a seductive dance, and said to her in his drunkenness, “Ask me for anything and it’s yours.” She said, “Bring me the head of John the Baptist,” which he did. Such evil! This little statement reminds us of worldly powers that seek to control people for personal gain and are threatened when their power, authority, and integrity are called into question, even in the name of God. They will silence that voice. They silenced John. In this assertion about John’s arrest, by the way, is some anticipation of the fate of the Greater One to come, which he preached about, meaning Jesus. It’s almost like the faint rumblings of a threatening storm ahead; the same will happen to Jesus. Jesus went to Galilee proclaiming the Good News of God knowing full well the kind of world He was facing. He knew what lay ahead. This world would be unkind and hostile toward Him. Ahead of Him lay rejection, cruelty, opposition, conspiracy, disappointment, unfaithfulness, loneliness, and a cross. In...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A43-51&version=NRSV (John 1:43-51) I was talking with a friend a few months ago about an interesting job opening in a company that she really wanted to work for, and I said, ‘Why don’t you apply for it?” She said, “Because I’m not sure I am qualified for the job.” And so she didn’t apply. She knew we live in a qualification-conscious society. In the business world bosses are looking for qualified candidates with the right credentials in education, background, and skill set. In the athletic world, coaches look for the most qualified, proven players in order to put together a winning team. This is true even in the world of the church. My home church just put together a search team to find our next pastor. They have a list of qualifications as they search for that individual. All this emphasis on qualifications sometimes can leave people feeling less than adequate and not so good about themselves or their place in the whole scheme of things. Maybe even feel a little stuck and useless. Scripture has an encouraging lesson for us today as we observe Jesus in the beginning stages of His mission. He is recruiting disciples to join Him in His mission. In our story today, we find Jesus choosing two men to be His disciples. His choices – Philip and Nathanael – are surprising because as we closely examine them, we find they lacked the qualifications one would think were necessary to be on the Savior’s salvation team. Look at the first character, Philip. As we do some research on him, we don’t find much. Not to be confused with deacon Philip in the book of Acts; Matthew, Mark, and Luke just use his name in the listing of the twelve disciples. He doesn’t stand out; he’s not a rising star. He seems to be a quiet, in-the-background, ordinary, unimpressive sort. John’s Gospel is where we find some information about Philip. He was from Bethsaida, in Galilee, which means he probably was already friends with Peter, Andrew, and Nathanael. He could’ve been a fisherman, which doesn’t exactly qualify him to reach people for Christ. We know he was religious, because he was seeking God. He was Jewish even though his name was Greek meaning “lover of horses.” We know he knew his Old Testament Scriptures as we see him telling Nathanael about his discovery of the Messiah who would come and save the world. I found Him! he says. After this calling in John chapter 1, we don’t hear a lot about Philip. What we do hear about him is not all that impressive. He always seems to be in over his head. For instance, in John chapter 6 – the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand – Jesus asks Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” John, in an editorial comment, said, “Jesus said this to test Philip.” He already knew what Philip was going to do; Jesus was testing his faith. Since Philip had watched Jesus turn ordinary water into gallons of wine and heal all kinds of people, one would think Philip have said, We can feed them, but instead Philip responds, “Impossible! I’ve done the mental calculations. It would take six months wages to feed them. We can’t feed these people.” Then Andrew steps up with a little boy who had five loaves and two fishes for Jesus to use. He blesses the food and five thousand people are fed. It seems to be a lack of faith in Jesus and His ability to do the supernatural that is at work in Philip. He’s not really all that promising, wouldn’t you agree? In John 12, some Greeks who wanted to see Jesus came to Philip, perhaps because his name was Greek. He thought to himself, I suppose, These people are non-Jews. We’ve never handled a situation like this. What should I do? I don’t want Jesus to be mad. It would set a bad precedent if I brought them. So instead of introducing them to Jesus as they had asked, he had Andrew handle it. Again, it appears that Philip was feeling over his head, indecisive, and afraid. In John 14, the...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-18&version=NRSV (John 1:1-18) Has anyone asked you yet what you got for Christmas this year? I’ve heard it a lot. My response to the question is, “More than I really needed.” It’s a funny thing about getting gifts – sometimes we look at them briefly after we open them. We say thanks and then put them away, maybe even forgetting about them only to discover later on how wonderful they really are. Last year I got a flannel shirt, for instance. I didn’t really want a flannel shirt. I said, “Thanks,” pasted a smile on my face, and hung it in the closet. There it just hung for months. This past November when it got cold, I tried it on and discovered it is one of the most comfortable shirts I have ever put on my body! Now I wear it constantly. Maybe you have received a book that you put on the shelf and forget about. Later on, you pull it off the shelf accidentally, browse the back cover or the first few pages, and discover it looks like a really good book! What a great gift! I think sometimes we just don’t realize what we got until we stop and examine it a little closer. We just celebrated the birth of Jesus and heard, “God so loved the world that He gave His Son . . .” (John 3:16). Jesus is God’s gift to us. I believe it is good to stop and take a closer look at what we got that first Christmas when Jesus was born. John will serve us today as our guide. His comments on Jesus are really quite different, remarkable, and unique. You can’t help but notice John’s Christmas story is very different from Matthew and Luke’s. It has no Mary and Joseph or angels or shepherds or Wise Men or manger. Instead, he uses beautiful, poetic-like, theological language in the opening of his Gospel to help us see just how special the gift of Jesus really is. It’s almost as if he has gone out of his way to make it different so the readers won’t miss the positive implications of the gift of Jesus. This is what we got for Christmas! John says. John tells us, first of all, that in the gift of Jesus, God has given us a picture of Himself. He has revealed Himself to us. Listen again to those great words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Now in that passage, “the Word” means Jesus – the Logos. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John goes on to say no one has ever seen God. It is God, the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made Him known to us. Jesus is the Son of God in the flesh. There is no more guessing about God. He is a walking autobiography of His heavenly Father. Later on, Jesus will say to His disciples, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). As we look at Him and read the Gospels, He displays the heart of God to us. Our God created us in His image. He loves us, and we are precious in His sight. He wants a personal relationship with us. He gives us a picture of God. I’m reminded of a cute story I heard a while back. A group of first graders got together and decided to write their own version of the Nativity. It was more modern than the traditional drama. There were also familiar members of the cast – Joseph, the shepherds, the Wise Men, the star and an angel propped up in the background, but Mary was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly from behind some bales of hay could be heard some soft moans and groans. Evidently Mary was in labor. Soon a doctor arrived dressed in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck. Joseph, with a look of relief on his face, took the doctor straight back to Mary and then came out and started pacing back and forth. After a few moments, the doctor emerged with a big smile on his face. “Congratulations, Joseph!” he said. “It’s a God!” ☺ In Jesus we see the face of God. In the gift of Jesus we also get light. In fact, we get the light we need as we live in our darkness. You can’t help but notice, it is a dark world out there. It’s full of evil,...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/passage/?q=john+4:7-19;+john+4:24-30;+john+4:39-42 (John 4:7-19, 24-30, 39-42) – The Woman at the Well Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus who was born for us. Amen. Merry Christmas to each one of you and God’s richest blessings in the year ahead. In the celebration of Christmas, do you ever wonder why God the Father would’ve sent His Son Jesus to be born of a virgin? To be born of a girl in Bethlehem? Why would God send His angels to proclaim joy on earth, and peace in heaven because of this child’s birth to shepherds on a hillside? I believe it’s because God has a heart of passionate love for lost people. God loves those who don’t yet understand that He who created the world and hung the stars in place, (like the star over Bethlehem’s manger) wants to pour His grace into them and share the journey with them. This is why Paul said to Timothy, “God desires ALL to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). This is why there’s a Christmas – because God’s heart loves those who are lost. Is that you? Many years ago I read an article in the Dallas newspaper of a woman whose son had been tragically killed in an accident. His heart was donated for transplant. Fortunately another young man was saved by receiving this healthy, strong heart. After a period of time, the woman who lost her son met the young man who had her son’s heart, and she said to him, “Would it be okay with you if I put my ear on your chest to listen to the heartbeat of my son one more time?” In this Christmas season I want to ask you, If God were to put His ear to our chest, would He hear the heartbeat of Jesus within us? Jesus has been born to the world and hopefully born into our lives as we receive Him in faith. Does His heart resonate inside us with God’s heart for the lost of the world who need to know and understand Him? In order to understand the motive of Christmas, I’d like to share with you again the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at Jacob’s well. Many people described her as immoral. Immorality might be defined as deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong. A person of bad character, depraved, perverted, always deviating from the good. So I have two images of this woman at the well who Jesus reached out to. One image is a woman who is flirtatious, coquettish in her behavior. She uses her sexual power to climb the ladder and gives herself away to profit personally. It is her ingrained method of conquest. Man after man is left discarded in her wake after she’s done with them. She uses her womanhood for personal gain. Image number two of the woman whom Jesus met at the well has had a painful early childhood, which left her wounded. Her daddy was addicted to booze, and she had a tense, cold relationship with mommy. She was abused inappropriately throughout her childhood and now she views herself as dirt. So she has a skewed vision of relationships and has difficulty trusting anyone. Therefore, this woman sabotages every love relationship that gets too close. Which image is the correct one for this woman at the well whom Jesus talks to? Whichever it is, for sure she is lost and lonely, an outcast who was rejected. This story becomes a good picture of how Jesus has come to win the heart of the lost. Throughout the Bible, the Old Testament describes God pursuing His disobedient, rebellious people through the prophets, begging them, Come back to me. I love you. In Luke 15 we read a series of stories about God reaching the lost sheep whom the good Shepherd goes to find, the lost coin, the lost son in the story of the prodigal who wandered from the father. The message of Christmas – Jesus born to us – is an image of God’s heart for lost and estranged people. He wants to win their trust and have them believe His love is for them. I find it beautiful how Jesus engages this woman at the well. He does not judge or reject her, but meets...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/2.html (Matthew 2:1-12) Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents’ house. At bedtime they knelt down beside the bed to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs. “I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE. I WANT A NEW COMPUTER GAME. I PRAY FOR A NEW BASKETBALL. . . .” The older brother leaned over and nudged him. “Why are you shouting your prayer? God is not deaf!” To which the little brother replied, “No, but grandma is, and she hasn’t done her Christmas shopping yet.” The little boy was just trying to help his grandma out with her shopping. He knows how grandparents delight in giving their grandchildren what they want. As you know, there is a big emphasis on giving and receiving gifts during Christmas. It can be a fun and delightful experience as gifts are exchanged between loved ones. We’ll open gifts at my home this evening and a little bit tomorrow morning as well. I’m sure many of you are doing the same thing. The question I have is, Are we missing something? I’d like to invite you to use your imagination with me for a few seconds. Imagine a birthday party being held in your honor. All your friends show up with gifts in hands. They say, “happy birthday” to you as they come in the door, and they even sing it to you later on. But then they give their presents to one another — not to you. I wonder how that would feel. Yet this is what we do at Christmas. We give gifts to everyone but Jesus! But it’s not too late for us to consider what the birthday Boy might like to receive for His birthday. When my children were young, we’d bake a cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus on Christmas Eve. Then we would have a devotion, but we never took it beyond that. We never got around to putting a gift of some sort under the tree for Him. Looking back, I wish we had. Yet Jesus did receive gifts on His first birthday. Great gifts! Gifts fit for a King! Lavish, extravagant gifts. He was honored and treated like royalty. Why? Because He was and He is royalty. He deserved the special attention He received from the Wise Men, and He still does. After all, look at the gift He’s given us and what He’s done for us! Jesus, the Son of God, entered our world leaving behind the majesty and glory of heaven and became one of us in order to rescue us. He is God’s gift to you and me. John 3:16 says it so well, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” You see, humanity was lost in our sinfulness with no way out. We were separated from God by our disobedience. The wages of sin is death, and there was not a blasted thing we can do to save ourselves. We were, as John says, perishing. But while we were still sinners, Jesus stepped into our world. He humbled Himself being born as a human being, a helpless little baby. He grew up and in adulthood He emptied Himself out totally for us, ultimately giving His life to save us. He laid down His life to redeem us from our sin and give us eternal life. At the cross, our sin was paid for by Jesus, the Son of God. When He cried out in His last breath, “It is finished,” it was not a cry of resignation but a cry of Mission Accomplished! meaning paid in full. Jesus Christ has paid for sin in full. God raised Him up from the dead conquering death. Jesus was exalted as well. He sits at the right hand of God the Father. Listen to this reading from John MacArthur: The Lord Jesus Christ, whom we exalt at Christmas, is not just a baby in a manger. He is not a character in a children’s story. He’s far more. ✯ The first time He came, He was veiled in the form of a child. The next time He comes – and we believe it will be soon – He will come unveiled. It will be abundantly and immediately clear to all the world just who He really is. ✯ The first time He came, a star marked His arrival. The next time He comes, the...
Matthew 25:31-46 A question we oftentimes ask our loved ones this time of the year is, What do you want for Christmas? We typically will also spend a lot of time and energy trying to find the perfect gift that will delight them. Yet, I sometimes wonder if every now and then when we get so focused on gift giving, we need to be reminded whose birthday it really is. Christmas is not our birthday. It is Jesus’, our Lord and Savior’s birthday. Have you ever asked yourself the question, I wonder what Jesus, the birthday boy, would like for His birthday? What do you give the One who has it all? Well, we are going to ponder this question for the next couple of weeks. Our text for today holds a profound answer to this question. Jesus and the disciples are now in Jerusalem. Jesus is about to go to the cross to fulfill God’s salvation plan of paying for your sins and mine. In this particular setting in today’s text, Jesus is teaching His disciples that someday He is coming again and they must be ready for it. These words were, first of all, meant to give us assurance and hope. During the Advent season, the church remembers the One – Jesus, who arrived as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem – is coming again in power and majesty. The first time He arrived, He gave us His all. He humbled himself and became one of us. He emptied Himself on our behalf, and went all the way – even to death – on a cross to pay our debt for sin, which we could not pay ourselves. However, the story does not end there. Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended to full power and authority over this world. The Lord has put all things under His feet. The second time Jesus arrives, He’s not going to come humbly, but in power. On that day, everyone will bow before Him and say, Jesus is Lord. This is basically what we’re hearing in today’s passage as Jesus begins this parable of sorts. He describes a King who comes in glory with His angels and sits on a glorious throne with all the nations, meaning all the peoples of the world are gathered before Him. What a vision that is! What a glorious day that is going to be! This good news for those of us who trust Christ is what we need to focus on, even when the world looks like it is falling apart and headed toward a bad ending. We know how the story ends – the King is sitting on His glorious throne. But notice, the parable goes on to instruct the followers of Jesus as to what He wants us to be doing while we wait for His return. Jesus tells us that when the King arrives, He will separate people one from another just as a shepherd divides the sheep and the goats at the end of the day. The sheep will be placed at His right hand – the place of blessing and honor. He will tell them, “Come you who are blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom prepared for you. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty you gave me a drink. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me.”What a very impressive list! He goes on with the story . . . “They will say to him, ‘Lord when did we see you this way?’ And the King will respond, ‘I tell you, as you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’”He came disguised in those who were weak and vulnerable. Jesus is identifying Himself with the weak and the poor, the forgotten and the vulnerable in society. He calls them His brethren. I suppose it makes sense because, after all, Jesus was born without a home to poor ordinary folks. His family were refugees fleeing from a baby-killing tyrant as they headed to Egypt. As an adult, He had no place to lay His head. He was rejected by people, abandoned by His followers, beaten terribly by soldiers, executed for crimes He didn’t commit, and buried in a borrowed tomb like a poor, poverty-stricken person. Jesus knows what it means to be needy, vulnerable. It’s no wonder He refered to these people as His...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+14%3A22-33&version=NRSV (Matthew 14:22-33) A few years ago Julie, my wife, and I went to see a wonderful movie entitled “We Bought a Zoo.” It starred Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, and it’s the true story of a man named Benjamin Mee and his children who bought a 30-acre zoo. He had all kinds of animals, but was unable to open it because it was so rundown. Faced with a series of challenges, he attempted to get it open again for the community. Rat infestation, finding money to feed the animals, animals escaping – it wasn’t easy. Mee admitted at one point, “There were lots of times when I thought, ‘What have I done?’” So why did Benjamin Mee buy and remodel the zoo? In the film he says, “Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery, and I promise you, something great will come of it.” That is about how long it took for the apostle Peter to get out of the boat in our story for today. Jesus has just fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes. They are ecstatic about the great powers Jesus has! The disciples are ecstatic as well. The crowd wants to make Him a king, and the disciples are probably nodding their heads saying, Why not? So Jesus breaks up the party and makes the disciples immediately get into a boat, pushes them out into the sea, says He’ll meet them later. Then He dismisses the crowds and goes up into the hills to pray. While the disciples are out on the water, a fierce storm comes up. They are afraid they are going to go down. The disciples fought this storm for nine hours! Can you imagine? I can hardly take two hours on rough water when I’m out boating. About 3:00 in the morning, Jesus comes toward them, and they think it’s a ghost. He cries out to them, “It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Then something really amazing happened – Peter in his impulsiveness opened his mouth and said, “Lord, if it’s you, bid me to come out on the water with you.” Of all things, as if to say, I dare you, Jesus replies, “Come on out!” And before anyone could stop Peter, he got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he noticed the threatening waves, he panicked and began to sink like a rock. But give him credit, he had the wherewithal to cry out, “Lord, help me!” Suddenly a hand grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up out of the water. There was the face of Jesus saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they were back into the boat, the storm stopped and the disciples all worshiped Jesus saying, “You are the Son of God.” Jesus’ statement – You of little faith, why did you doubt? – is a key statement in the story. I have a picture of Jesus pulling Peter out of the water on my wall. Below it are the words, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” I like it. Why? Because it describes me sometimes – little faith. We learn something important in this story: Jesus loves it when we exercise daring faith in Him. Remember, Peter did walk on the water. Though it was brief, he stepped out in faith! Eyewitnesses saw it. Perhaps Jesus was prepping Peter for bigger things ahead, bigger than a little walk on the water that day. One day after the resurrection, Peter would hear Jesus tell him, Feed my sheep and tend my lambs . . . You will be my witness in this world. I wonder if the other disciples were wishing they had walked on water like Peter. How did it feel? Is it possible that the story was saved to not only show us who Jesus really is – the Son of God who came to die on a cross to save us from sin and rise again – but also to encourage us and challenge us to step out in faith as followers of Jesus Christ. If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat in faith. I think that lesson has been applied in various times in the history of Christianity. One example that comes to mind is Martin Luther. I just finished reading...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/2-corinthians/8.html (II Corinthians 8:1-12) A number of years ago, a popular book entitled The Five Love Languages was out on the market – the five love languages being touch, affirmation, quality time, acts of service, and gifts. Millions of these books have been sold to couples who are trying to learn how to say I love you to their mate. Today I thought we’d like to look at God’s love language. His language of love. As you study Scripture, you learn again and again that when the Bible talks of love, it’s usually more than an emotion, or a feeling, or even a few words. It’s an action, an act of the will to do something for the benefit of another. We see that kind of love shown to us through Jesus Christ. We were lost in our sin but God proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Jesus Christ died for us on the cross as a sacrifice to pay for our sins. He went to the cross to pay for our sinfulness and rescue us from sin and death so we could be restored into a relationship with the God who loves us. I love the way Paul puts it in today’s passage. “He who was rich became poor so that by His poverty we might become rich.” He was living in the majesty of heaven. He had all the benefits of heaven, but He became poor, became one of us. He went all the way to the cross and emptied Himself out so we might become rich in our relationship with our heavenly Father. Jesus talked about love quite a bit. One time He was asked what is God’s favorite commandment. His answer: “It’s simple: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). We also hear Jesus in the upper room on the night before He was crucified for our sins giving His disciples what He called His new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). There’s the clincher: “. . . as I have loved you.” He had just washed their feet, which was the work of a slave back then, and He was about to sacrifice His life to rescue them. “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend” (John 15:13). The language of love attached to God is always something you do. It’s an act of giving of self for the sake of another. In our congregation, the language of love is used every November as we discuss giving (or as some of us were raised to call it – stewardship). Giving is our expression of love to Christ. It’s a matter of the heart. We know God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Over the years I’ve used a statement that sums up what Scripture teaches about the language of love and giving. It goes like this: We give out of love to Christ in the area of our faith. This statement has three parts. We give to Christ. What we put in an offering plate is a gift to Christ. It’s not to pay the bills to keep the lights on, but a gift to the person of Jesus Himself. We give because we love Him. We give it out of love in response for what He has done for us. It is our way of saying, I love you. Thank you for loving me. Finally, we give with faith in God’s promises. As our relationship grows, our faith grows and typically our giving then grows. This teaching is not something simply made up. It is based upon scriptural passages such as the one we have today. The apostle Paul is describing some folks in Greece called the Macedonians. Their extreme poverty and affliction actually wound up overflowing with joyful generosity toward a mission Paul was trying to fund – to take care of starving people in Jerusalem because of the famine. In this letter, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, who were also Greeks. He says, You wouldn’t believe these people! They’ve been through so much and yet there was this joyful generosity from them. They voluntarily gave over and above what they could probably...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+3:14-21 (Ephesians 3:14-21) God by definition is infinite. Therefore, Our finite human minds cannot fully grasp or understand God, His thoughts or His way. It’s impossible for us to know Him. Or is it? C. S. Lewis once talked about an author who writes a book. He loves the characters he has created so much, he wants them to know him personally. It’s impossible, right? The author lives in a different dimension. It is impossible unless the author writes himself into the book’s narrative. He must write himself into the lives of those characters he cherishes, so they encounter him in the real story of their existence. God desires to know us. He has created us, but He wants to share life with us. He wants us to know His love. He wants us to know Him personally through Jesus Christ, and He wants us to share life with God by faith. That is what the whole of the Christmas story is about. Remember John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” So, as you think about the God who created the world, the God who hung the stars in place, who sustains the orbit of the planets around the sun by His power, who holds the universe, He is also the God who wants to share love and life with you. That is why, when Paul writes to the Ephesians, he prays God’s power would be at work within us so Jesus Christ could dwell within our finite hearts and we would know God’s love in a way that is more than just knowledge. God can come to us, and we can experience His love. We can share a relationship of trust with Him. In the ninth chapter of John is an interesting story about a blind man encountered by Jesus. The blind man wanted to see, so Jesus smears mud on his eyes and tells him to go wash. The man is healed and gets his sight back. Then there’s this humorous interaction as the people see the man walking around with normal vision and say almost as if the guy couldn’t hear them, This looks just like the man who used to sit in the dirt and beg. No! It couldn’t be him! All the while the man is saying, Yes! It was I. I’m the man! The Pharisees also hear the story of this blind man now healed and say, Have nothing to do with Jesus, because He is not from God. The blind man simply says to them, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. All I can tell you is, I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25). Jesus later comes back to this blind man and says, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The blind man answers, “Who is he that I might believe in him?” Jesus says, “I who speak to you am he.” Having experienced the miraculous restorative power of Jesus and able to see, the blind man says, “I do believe.” Then, John’s story says, “The man worshiped Jesus.” The reason I share this story in connection with the privilege of people knowing God through Jesus Christ is people will often encounter God or come to God at the point of our human need. We come to God when we experience pain or brokenness or some form of our limits as human beings. When we experience the power of God into our lives, there is a process of deeper and deeper revelation in knowing and understanding Jesus Christ. The more we know Him, the deeper our faith in Him becomes – from serving our need in a circumstance of deliverance to confessing Jesus as our Savior, as the Son of God, as the Lord of creation, which then leads to gratitude and worship. As people live their lives, they have different ways of viewing Jesus – who He is or what it means to have a connection to God. For some it’s like a one-time trip. My wife Denise and I once took a trip to Niagara Falls in upstate New York. It was awesome! It was majestic. The raw power of those natural falls took our breath away. It was a wonderful experience. However, that singular trip to a momentous experience decades ago has little or no relevance to...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/romans/passage/?q=romans+1:13-17 (Romans 1:13-17) When I was at the seminary training to become a pastor, I had a mentor who had a big impact in my life. His name was Pastor Homer Larsen. As I was preparing to go to my first church, he said to me, “Always work hard on your message. Make sure you preach the gospel! Nothing else really matters in comparison to the message you give your people.” Through the years I have followed his advice, and it has been a blessing to me. I have even said to my congregation, “This hour that you spend with me in church today could make a significant change in your life. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t stand up here in front of you like this and preach. I wouldn’t give my life to be a pastor or a personal witness.” The apostle Paul would concur with the advice Homer gave me – The message matters; Work hard on it. As he is preparing to go to Rome, Paul writes a letter to believers there. In that letter, found in the New Testament, he shares a bit about himself. After he tells them all the good things he’s heard about them, he says, I am so eager to be with you who are in Rome in order that I may proclaim the gospel to you! Paul is eager! He can’t wait to share! He says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel.” He was not embarrassed by it. People may have questioned the “odd” message he had. They may have looked at the cross as foolishness. They may have even thought the whole idea of grace was absurd, but he was not ashamed of the gospel. Why? Because “. . . it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith.” The word power is the Greek word dynamis from which we get the word dynamite. The gospel is God’s dynamite! We all know the power of dynamite to change things all around it when it goes off. The gospel is God’s dynamite. It is a power that can and does change a person’s life. It’s not simply another philosophy of life. It changed the trajectory of Paul’s life. Speaking from his own personal experience, Paul calls it the power to bring salvation. The word salvation means wholeness. The gospel makes us whole again! It restores us into a saving relationship with the God who made us. “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith,” Paul says, “for faith.” Through faith (meaning Paul’s faith, the one who is bringing the gospel) for faith so we might believe. “In it the righteousness of God is revealed” – God’s righteous plan, His plan to make us right with Him through His Son Jesus. It is good news. So we ask, What is the gospel specifically? Let me first tell you what it’s not. It’s not the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s not a form of music that makes us tap our toes. It’s not simply information we find in the Bible about the life of Jesus, and it’s not a tradition of good news we hear at certain times of the year like Christmas or Easter or when grandma and grandpa die. Here is what it is: The gospel is the good news of what God has done for us calling us to a response. It is not simply good advice to men and women, but good news about Jesus Christ. It’s not an invitation to do anything, but a declaration of what God has done. It’s not a demand, but an offer. The gospel is a story, which goes like this: I am a person who was created by God in His image for a relationship with Him. I am precious in His sight and the crown of His creation. But I am also a sinner who has broken that relationship with my sinfulness. Ever since the time of Adam and Eve, a great gap between God and humankind has existed and needs to be taken care of. No matter how hard we try to save ourselves and look good in God’s sight, we always fall short. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I can try to build my spiritual resume to get myself into a relationship with God and go to His heaven, but it’ll never be...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/2-corinthians/passage/?q=2-corinthians+1:3-11 (II Corinthians 1:3-11) When my children, Sam and Martha, were little, my wife and I enjoyed reading to them. One of the books we especially enjoyed was Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The story goes like this – from the moment this young boy named Alexander wakes up, things just don’t go his way. As he gets up, the chewing gum that was in his mouth the night before is now in his hair. He trips on his skateboard as he gets out of bed and drops his sweater in the sink while the water is running. His brothers, Nick and Anthony, find prizes in their cereal at breakfast time while Alexander does not. The whole day is filled with one disappointment after another for Alexander. Even at bedtime his nightlight burns out. He bites his tongue. His brother Nick takes back a pillow he said he could keep, and the cat chooses to sleep with his other brother Anthony. A funny statement runs throughout the book after each disappointment. Alexander says, “I think I’ll move to Australia.” He thinks it’s perhaps better there. The book ends with his mother’s assurance that everybody has bad days – even those who live in Australia. In our life, we know some days, some weeks, some months, and some seasons can have challenges, hardships, and suffering. Some days we will have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. The apostle Paul knew this firsthand. As we read some reflections of what he went through, it’s amazing the bad days he experienced. In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about being whipped, beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. He faced danger from bandits, enemies and dangers in the city and wilderness, toil, hardships, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, cold, and even nakedness. He was under daily pressure over the churches he wanted to see grow. He talks of being afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. He mentions a thorn in the flesh, which many scholars believe was a physical ailment. In Philippians Paul told them, “For Christ’s sake, I have suffered the loss of all things.” He regarded all the things he had as rubbish. In our text for today, he even talks a bit about despair while on his mission trip to Asia. He thought he was going to die. As you read the passage, you notice that affliction and suffering are keywords used redundantly. That is the biblical writer’s way of making an important point. No one goes through life affliction free or immune from suffering. But here is some good news to hang onto during those times – We are not on our own. In the midst of our terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days, we have a Father. Paul describes Him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as if to tell us, Remember what He did to make you His own, all the trouble He went through to make you His sons and daughters. Jesus suffered and died on a cross to save us from our sin and restore us to a relationship with the heavenly Father for eternity. This God has gone all out for you! He is our Father, just as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer. We can pray, Our Father, and know He cares for us more greatly than any earthly father can. He is the Father of all mercies, which means He is filled with compassion. He has a BIG heart for us. He has care and concern. He gives, and He helps. He is the Father of all comfort. Paul also tells us God comforts us in all our afflictions. When life is caving in on us, He comforts us. The word “comfort” here doesn’t mean ease and relaxation. It basically means something like encouragement. The word doesn’t imply that God rescues us from discomfort but gives us the tools, the instructions, and the essential guidance to endure the problems of this life and keep us going. In the final two verses of this passage, we learn that Paul is not just waxing eloquently here. He is speaking from personal experience as it relates to them about what happened on his mission trip in...
https://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/2-corinthians/passage/?q=2-corinthians+9:6-15 (II Corinthians 9:6-15) I’d like to share with you a story I came across years ago about a little boy named Chad. Chad was a shy, quiet young fellow. One day he came home and told his mommy he’d like to make a Valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. Each day as she watched the children walk home from school, her little boy was always behind them. They laughed and hung onto each other, but Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she went along with his idea. So she bought some paper, glue, and crayons, and for three whole weeks – night after night – Chad worked on his thirty-five Valentines. When Valentines Day dawned, Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag and bolted out the door! His mom just knew he would be disappointed so she decided to bake his favorite cookies and serve them up nice and warm with a cool glass of milk when he came from school to ease the pain a little. It hurt her to think he wouldn’t get many Valentines, if any at all. That afternoon she had the cookies and milk sitting on the table. When she heard the children outside the house, she looked out the window and sure enough! Here they came, laughing and having the best time as they walked down the sidewalk. As always, Chad was way back in the rear and walking a little faster than usual this day. His arms were empty, she noticed, and she fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. When the door opened, she choked back the tears and said, “Mommy has warm cookies and milk for you.” But he hardly heard her words. Instead, he just marched right on by, his face aglow. “Not a one! Not a one” was all he could say. Her heart sank. Then he added, “I didn’t forget a one – not a single one!” I like Chad, don’t you? Do you know why? Because generous people are very attractive. Would you consider yourself a generous person? When you pass away, will people say, “There lies a generous person”? The Apostle Paul today is making an appeal to some folks in Corinth in Greece to be generous toward the famine-stricken people in Jerusalem. They had heard about the famine, the starvation, and the church starting to fall apart under hardship, and they pledged to help the poor. However, the offering was never taken, and now they seemed to be reluctant. We don’t know why. It could be there was financial hardship in their own lives. Perhaps the economy was not going well, or maybe they were caught up in the materialism of their day (Corinth was known for that), and they didn’t have anything left over to give. Paul is appealing to them to be generous givers – but not just for this offering. Their generosity was to be a lifestyle. The dictionary defines generosity as liberal, magnanimous, openhanded. The Greek word for generous used here in Scripture means openhearted. You have a big heart and are pouring it out into other people’s lives. It’s just the opposite of fear and stinginess. We know Jesus liked the widow’s attitude as He watched her put two pennies in the offering. He even pointed to her and said, Now there’s someone special! For her, you see, giving was more important than a crust of bread or a sip of milk. God loves generosity. The Apostle Paul offers us three pictures to consider when deciding whether we’re going to be generous or not, whether we’re going to live with open hands or a clenched fist through life. The first picture is of God Himself. God is very generous to us. Paul, at the end of this chapter, says “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift,” meaning Christ! In 8:9 he says, “You know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich!” God withheld nothing to save us from our sinfulness and restore us into a relationship with Himself. He is a generous God....
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27:11-26 (Matthew 27:11-26) Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-five Theses to the Wittenberg church door in Germany setting in motion a series of events we now call the Protestant Reformation. The prominent themes accompanying that period are Grace Alone, Word (of God) Alone, Christ Alone, and Faith Alone. I’d like to look again at those significant themes by re-examining the trial of Jesus before Pilate. Have you ever served as a juror? I served once for a man who’d been arrested for drug possession with intent to deliver. The prosecution had lots of evidence establishing the man’s guilt, but the defense attorney over and over said, “Do you have a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt?” I, as a member of the jury, had to decide whether the man was guilty or innocent, whether he deserved punishment legally or whether he should be set free. There is a sense in which every time we hear the message of Jesus Christ or the story of Jesus on trial, we become jurors. We decide what the evidence tells us who Jesus is. What does Pilate say about Jesus in the story? What does Pilate’s wife, Claudia, say about Jesus. And what do you say? Historians tell us Pilate did not have a wealthy upbringing. He was middle-class. He served in the Roman army in Germany and then married into the family connected to the Emperor Tiberius. Because of this connection with the man on the top, Pilate was given a position that would never have been given to him any other way. In AD 26 on the recommendation of Sejanus, Tiberius’s right-hand man, Pilate was appointed governor of Judea. That is nepotism at its strongest – a man appointed to a position of authority simply because he knows the right people. In Judea, being governor carried a lot of responsibility. As the Roman procurator, he was responsible for maintaining law and order and peace in the region. Pilate’s normal headquarters were in Caesarea, but during the Jewish Passover tensions often ran high. So Pilate was in Jerusalem to maintain law and order. Hence, when Jesus was brought before him for trial, it was in the city of Jerusalem. Pilate, we are told, was a tactless, stubborn, and ruthless governor. He thought that because he had power and authority, he could bully the people to enforce his will. He exploited them for personal gain and manipulated them for political advantage. For example, the city of Jerusalem needed a water supply, which was always a problem. So Pilate constructed an aqueduct, a channel to bring water into the city. He concluded that because it benefitted the Jews, he would use the Temple treasury to pay for it. As you can imagine, the people were very indignant that Pilate would steal from the holy money of the Temple treasury to pay for the aqueduct, so they rebelled and rioted. Pilate sent his own people into the crowd wearing plainclothes and carrying clubs and daggers. At an appropriate signal, they turned on the people, clubbing and stabbing them. Many were killed that day. That’s why in Luke 13:1 it speaks of the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices. Pilate was not a kind governor. He was ruthless. On this trial day, Jesus is brought before Pilate, and they have a conversation about the charge made of Jesus being king of the Jews. “Are you a king?” Pilate asks. Jesus has an unusual response. “You say that I am,” or “You have said I am.” Could it be, in the manner with which Pilate was going to treat Jesus, that he was saying he was King because he was fulfilling the prophecy of the crucified Messiah, or did Pilate actually believe Jesus was a king of sorts? Remember the sign over Jesus’ head when He was executed on the cross. A sign always told the crime for which the person was being put to death. It read, THE KING OF THE JEWS. The Jewish leaders came to Pilate and said, “Don’t say ‘The King of the Jews,’ say, ‘He claimed to be the King of the Jews.’” But Pilate...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/2-corinthians/passage/?q=2-corinthians+4:7-18 (II Corinthians 4:7-18) I am sure you’ve figured out by now that followers of Jesus Christ are not exempt from hardships just because we happen to be following Jesus. There is no special inoculation from suffering for the Christ follower. This truth can really bother us, especially when a hardship comes. We sometimes we get it in our heads that we ought to have a little bit of entitlement since we’re connected to God through Jesus. I am sure you’ve figured out by now that followers of Jesus Christ are not exempt from hardships just because we happen to be following Jesus. There is no special inoculation from suffering for the Christ follower. This truth can really bother us, especially when a hardship comes. We sometimes we get it in our heads that we ought to have a little bit of entitlement since we’re connected to God through Jesus. I remember a humorous little story about St. Teresa Avila. She seemed to have a bit of that feeling about her. She was a little spitfire nun from the early days of the Church and was instrumental in setting up many convents. One day she was walking to one of those convents when a rainstorm came up. Her path became slippery, she lost her way and fell face first off an embankment into a mud puddle. As she picked herself up from the puddle and wiped the mud away, she looked up to the heavens and said to God, “If this is how you treat your friends, it’s no wonder you have so few of them!” Maybe you have wondered that yourself. Paul the Apostle knew this truth well. As he describes his life to a congregation in Corinth, a nation of Greece, he reflects on his tough times with them. He shares these truths that have proven helpful for him to keep going and I believe are helpful for us in our own journey through life. Sometimes life throws hard knocks our way. First of all, Paul announces to them, I want you to know, I’m not thinking I am any big deal at all. I’m a clay jar. But I have this treasure in me. That can be said about any one of us if we have Jesus Christ in our life. When Paul talks about the treasure, he’s talking about the Gospel, the Good News of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. We were lost in our sinfulness, but God came to be with us through His Son Jesus Christ. Christ went to the cross and died for us. God is for us! He paid for our sinfulness. When we receive Him into our lives, God dwells in us through the power of the Spirit forever and ever. We have salvation. This was Paul’s message. He says, I have this treasure. I am a clay jar but God chooses to use clay jars. They knew exactly what he was talking about when he used a clay jar to describe himself. A clay jar was an ordinary utensil that may not look very impressive, but was usable. Clay jars are fragile, easily cracked, and chipped. Paul says, I am a clay jar chosen by God to bring this treasure within me into the lives of others. Why does God use clay jars? Paul explains it is so people can see the extraordinary power comes from God not from us. God is working in us. He uses the weak to bring Himself glory. This work we are doing is God’s doing. All the results are to His glory. We, as messengers, are the ordinary vessels through which the Gospel is carried to the ends of the earth. Rather than sit around and regret our weaknesses, we rejoice that God so wondrously uses that very weakness in us to His glory. I am a clay jar. I have this treasure within me. Next, Paul tells us this clay jar has taken quite a beating. Jesus said one time, “In this world you will have trial and tribulation. But fear not. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul experienced that firsthand. He said, “I have been afflicted in every way.” To be afflicted is to be pressured, stressed, feel trapped, under great, great strain. He says, “I have been perplexed, bewildered, oftentimes confused, wondering, ‘So what...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/genesis/3.html (Genesis 3) I love my job. After 37 years, I consider still it a privilege to be the pastor of a congregation and a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But like any job, it has its hard parts. When I watch people suffer (especially people I know and love), it’s tough to know what to say or not to say. I think of grieving couples who’ve lost their children, a teenage son killed in a motorcycle accident, a young couple holding their stillborn and asking, “Why? Why is this happening to us?” I think of the young cancer patient in the hospital room who’s being told nothing can be done for him. Why is this happening? he wonders. I have a family to take care of. It’s apparent to me after all these years of ministry that the song in the musical “Annie” is right. It is a hard knock life. Why is that? It is an age-old question. People observe starvation and disease-ravaged populations, wars and atrocities between nations, mistreatment and cruelty toward others, natural disasters, and personal calamities that shake up our lives. Along the way I have learned there are two ways of dealing with suffering in this world. One is to deal with it on an intellectual level. Maybe if we could just wrap our heads around this question and come up with an answer, perhaps it would give us some peace. Today’s message is going to touch on the more intellectual level. The other level is what I call it the survival level. Instead of asking why, it asks how. How am I going to live with this and get through it? The Apostle Paul in II Corinthians is going to be our teacher in the next few weeks on this level. We talk about the reasons behind a hard knock life on an intellectual level, but as Christians we also look to the Scriptures for answers, because it is our authority. The thing is, we find no single answer in the Scriptures, just a mix of answers, which can be fairly confusing and unsettling. Scripture, in places, will tell us our suffering comes because of something we’ve done. The book of Deuteronomy is filled with blessings and curses God lays out for Israel. If you don’t obey me, you will receive curses. Ezekiel 18 tells us everybody is responsible for the suffering that has come upon themselves. It is caused by our sin. Sometimes we choose suffering, according to Scripture. We pick up our cross and follow Jesus. The cross is a symbol of suffering and shame. We also find passages telling us Satan is the cause of suffering. He is on the attack, seeking to destroy devour us and ruin our faith. In other places it says God lets it happen for our own good. Sometimes it’s a means of disciplining us, growing us in character, and so on. Other times people just throw up their hands – like in the book of Ecclesiastes – and say there’s no good answer. I found Genesis 3 to be helpful. It takes us back to the beginning and tells us the story of what happened to God’s perfect world. God created this world. It was perfect and there was harmony between God and humanity, harmony between human beings, and harmony between humanity and nature. It was perfect. But, as you know, something happened. Creation broke. It happened with a transgression – Adam and Eve ate the fruit they weren’t supposed to eat. They were promised they would be like God and able to run their own lives. Temptation was too great, so they ate the fruit. God then interrogates them and they point the finger away from themselves. “I ate, but it was because of the woman you gave me.” And Eve says, “It was because of the serpent. He tricked me!” Then we have the consequences for their disobedience. God lays out the future. There will be pain and broken relationships, thistles and thorns. You will have to toil in the land to even survive. There will be death – from dust you came, to dust you shall return. It is going to be a mess! The entire creation is infected. In Romans 8, for...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/john/passage/?q=john+13:1-17 (John 13:1-17) Those who are around Christians and the church will oftentimes hear us talk about Jesus as our King. Some churches even use King in their title – Christ the King Church, for instance. And if you follow the common lectionary, you know the church celebrates Christ the King Sunday. Many hymns describe Jesus as King – Beautiful Savior, King of Creation; Crown Him with Many Crowns. On and on the list can go. Those who are around Christians and the church will oftentimes hear us talk about Jesus as our King. Some churches even use King in their title – Christ the King Church, for instance. And if you follow the common lectionary, you know the church celebrates Christ the King Sunday. Many hymns describe Jesus as King – Beautiful Savior, King of Creation; Crown Him with Many Crowns. On and on the list can go. Even contemporary music talks of Jesus as King. Jack Hayford’s song, “Majesty” describes Jesus as the King of all Kings. In our church, we sing another favorite song called, “You are my King, Jesus.” Preachers describe Him as King from the pulpits because Scripture uses the language as well. When you think about it though, it’s churchy language, which can be puzzling to contemporary people both inside and outside the church. People may wonder what we mean by calling him king. We don’t talk about kings in our everyday conversations, and we don’t have kings in a democratic society. Our only experience with kings is looking back in history and at the present day figureheads in Europe. So, what does it mean to call Jesus the King? We could respond, He is the king of the universe. He reigns over history itself. He has come to be our Savior and our King. The day will come when all knees will bow to him. Someone else might say, Well, there is a personal side to this as well. To call Him my King is to say He’s my leader, my boss, my authority in life, my control center. He is the One I trust as I live out my days. Why describe Him as a King? It is a very lofty title. I suppose we could say it’s because we call Him “Jesus Christ,” which is actually “Jesus the Christ,” the Anointed One. It has the image of a King. But there’s more. We call Him “King” because of the resurrection, because of Easter. He overcame sin and death, ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of God in power and authority over the whole creation. He is in charge. All of history is His story. The final word is His! If you have come to know Him and what He has done for you at the cross, how wise and how great He is, and how much He knows about what makes a person’s life work best, you know it’s best to serve Him and obey Him as the authority in your life – the King! That is why we describe Him as King. Jesus rules over creation, and He is a great King as He rules over the lives of those who surrender themselves to Him. What kind of king is Jesus? How would you answer that question. Well, you might say He is a great King; He is a good King; He is a loving King. All of those would be correct. But have you ever heard the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words”? Jesus gives us a picture of His kingship in today’s reading. It was the night before Jesus is to be crucified on the cross for the sins of the world. He was with His disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem. He knew what was going to happen to Him. They were celebrating one last Passover meal together. Before the meal started, Jesus got up from the table, put a towel around His waist, and took a basin of water. Then He stooped and washed the feet of His disciples. Peter tried to stop Him, but Jesus insisted. He washed their feet, which was the work of a servant in those days. Jesus was doing the work of the servant. He is a humble King stooping to wash the feet of His disciples. He is the servant King, as many have described Him. He is the One who said, “I came not to be served but to
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/2-timothy/passage/?q=2-timothy+3:14-17 (II Timothy 3:14-17) I’ve always been fascinated by the last words of well-known people. These words might hold a touch of advice or some wisdom, inspiration, or humor for those of us who are still on life’s journey. For instance, recently I came across John Stott’s last words of advice to his assistant back in 2011 before he passed on. John Stott was a great, great preacher and teacher of the Christian faith and a wonderful writer. His last bit of advice to his assistant was, “Do the hard thing.” Stott believed that choosing the easy trail, the road most taken and the path of least resistance can only end in mediocrity, even it comes with praise or prosperity. Most recently, I read the last words a Christian writer I’ve enjoyed over the years, Dallas Willard, gave to his granddaughter. They were, “Give them heaven.” Give them heaven. Have you ever thought about what last words of advice you’d like to pass on to your loved ones on your deathbed? Tom Wright, a Bible scholar was asked what he’d say to his children. He said, “I’d tell them, ‘Look at Jesus.’” Then he explained, “The person who walks out of the pages of the Gospels to meet us is just central and irreplaceable. He is always a surprise. We never have Jesus in our pockets. He is always coming at us from different angles. So if you want to know who God is, look at Jesus, and if you want to know what it means to be human, look at Jesus. If you want to know what love is, look at Jesus, and go on looking until you’re not just a spectator but part of the drama with Him as a central character. How about you? What would your last words be? For myself, I think I’d say, “Stick with Jesus.” Or for my kids who are quite solid in their own Christian walk, maybe it would be, “Let your light keep shining for Jesus Christ.” I’m talking about last words today because we have some last words of advice before us in our reading. It’s from an old pastor named Paul, and it’s the final letter he ever wrote. He’s written it to a young church leader, a pastor named Timothy, who was struggling in his own ministry. Timothy was experiencing some hardships, crises in his congregation. Paul is in a jail cell and about to be executed. The end is near, but he takes time to write one last letter to this young man whom he loved. In the first section, he talks a bit about his special feelings toward Timothy, how he loved him like a son. He then moves on to anguish over what a messed-up world Timothy is working in. People are easily getting misled by philosophies, world views, and mixed-up theologies around them. Lacking God’s truth in their own lives then, they end up adding to the mess by passing on these error-filled teachings to others. They are finding their way into Timothy’s congregation, and faiths are getting shipwrecked. The congregation needs a pastor, a leader to keep them on track with God’s truth. Paul knew that and so did Timothy. Paul reminds him of it. He and his congregation, you see, need some solid footing in the midst of the shifting sands of the times in which they lived. Recently Julie and I had to have a new deck put around our house. Our old deck had become so spongy, we were afraid it might cave in if more than four or five people were on the deck with us. When the person came to tear it apart and put on a new one, he found there were no solid footings, just some posts that had been poked in the ground and now were rotten. We needed solid footing. Likewise in our Christian walk with the Lord. We need solid footing. It happens so easily that we can get mixed up. I had some folks in my congregation call me some years ago and asked, “Will you come visit us? We’re just really needing to talk with you.” When I got to their home, I learned some Jehovah Witnesses had started a Bible study in their living room. They were mixed up and didn’t know what to believe. So we sat down with our Bibles and...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+14:13-21 (Matthew 14:13-21) Do you ever have problems so large, you can’t cope from your own strength? What do you do? Where do you turn? In the story of Jesus and the miracle of feeding the five thousand, the disciples and Jesus were facing a problem that required supernatural power to solve it. Jesus had just been rejected in His hometown of Nazareth and said that He could do no miracles there because of their unbelief. He also just learned that His soul mate – His cousin John the Baptist (the forerunner to the Messiah) – had been beheaded by the king because John the Baptist confronted him for the sin of sleeping with his brother’s wife. Jesus was grieving the death of John the Baptist. But the crowds, it says in the Gospel, still came. Large crowds with great need. The compassion of Jesus was stirred for them, so He healed the sick and taught about the kingdom of God. All through the day, they still came with their tremendous need. Jesus was tired, and now there were 5,000 men – if you counted women and children, it may have been up to 15,000 people – in a desolate wilderness area without food. That’s a problem. The disciples, perhaps because they were tired or indifferent, said to Jesus, Send these people away to the nearby village so they can eat. We can’t feed them. Jesus said, They don’t have to go away. You feed them. There is a contrast here between the attitude of the disciples – indifference or dismissal of the problem, not wishing to deal with it at all, running from it – and Jesus’ compassion – engage the problem in a practical way and offer help. I can understand the attitude of the disciples, not only what I meet problems in my life so big I can’t cope with them, but even when God calls me to do something about world issues that feel too big for me. If I hear on the news of a child who has been abducted and missing, I grieve. If I see a video on TV about a poor, starving person, I know the complexities of the problem are so deep that a few dollars offered isn’t going to solve it, and yet Jesus asked me to do something about it. When I hear stories about white supremacists who literally believe they should rule or dominate and control and put down other people because of the color of their skin or their nationality, I get angry at the injustice, at the prejudice. But I’m blind at the prejudices that operate in my own soul. Or I hear stories around the world of terrorists who have put innocent people to death senselessly, like not long ago in Barcelona, Spain. I wonder, Where will it end? and How can I fix it? I’m kind of like an ostrich that puts his head in the sand and says, ‘It’s not my problem.’ My resources are limited. I can’t fix it. I’m overwhelmed. I don’t want to deal with it. Send them away, Jesus. But Jesus in compassion says, ‘You help them. You love them.’ So I ask you again, when you face life’s problems, do you focus on your limits and your lack of capacity, or do you look to Jesus and invite His power to be released into the problem or into the context of the challenge? Remember the verse in Ephesians 3:20, “God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we ask or think according to His power that works within us.” Maybe you’ve heard this faith quote, “God is never at His extremity. Therefore we are never at our extremity.” We put our problems and our lives into the hands of Jesus, and then miraculous things can happen. In the story of the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples bring five loaves and two fish, but protest, “What is this among so many?” They are focused on their limits. But remember, they are in the presence of the all-powerful Lord Jesus. From John’s telling of the story, we actually learn that it was a boy who brought the five loaves and two fish to the disciples. This boy’s generosity becomes the means by which Jesus turns the impossible into...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsva/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+5:25-32 (Ephesians 5:25-32) Some people in the world today enjoy poking fun at the church, even running it down and talking negatively about it. In some parts of the globe, people persecute the church. Sometimes we will hear criticisms of the church even from within. Someone once compared his church to Noah’s ark. “If the flood on the outside were not so bad, you couldn’t stand the smell on the inside.” That’s not exactly a positive thing to say about the church, is it? Some will make statements such as, The church is full of hypocrites or It’s irrelevant; it’s behind the times. Some from the outside will point to some of the sordid history, such as the Crusades or more recently of clergy misconduct. Others tend to treat the church as kind of an extra in life, a non-necessity, nice to have around. What matters though is my personal walk with the Lord, they’ll say. Let me ask you, What is your attitude toward the church? Do you love her or are you a critic? Do you cherish her or do you treat her as an extra in your relationship with the Lord? We have been talking about the Church of Jesus Christ for the past two Sundays in our series called, “This Is Us.” Along the way we’ve learned that there are two ways of talking about the church. The Church can be talked about as the Church Universal – all believers in Christ on earth. As we say in our Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in the holy catholic Church.” Or we can talk about the church as a local congregation of believers in Christ who are called together and then sent out into the world to serve Him. In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul uses various images to help us better understand what a special and glorious thing the Church of Jesus Christ really is. We’ve seen that He calls us the family of Christ, Christ’s body with many parts – each one important. Today he uses another interesting image to describe the wonder of the Church, one which we don’t talk about much. We find it in the fifth chapter of Ephesians as he is instructing husbands how to treat their wives. In the instruction, he describes the Church as the Bride of Christ. In verse 25 he makes this very interesting statement: “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the Church.” Now we have a marriage imagery. The Church is the Bride of Christ, and Jesus loves her. He cherishes her with a superior type of love. Sometimes after we’re married, we will jokingly say, Well, the honeymoon is over! But the love Christ has for His Church is a superior type of love, and the honeymoon for Him is never over. He is affectionate; He loves His church. How has He loved her? In verse 25 we see that He gave Himself up for her to make her holy, which means set apart for Him. He has cleansed her for Himself with the forgiveness of sins. You see, this bridegroom was willing to pay any price for her – even going to a cross. He sacrificed His life for her good. I love the way Martin Luther talks about this in his writing, The Freedom of a Christian. Listen to this: “Who can understand the riches of the glory of His grace? Here this rich and divine bridegroom, Christ, marries this poor, wicked harlot, redeems her from all evil, and adorns her with all his goodness. Her sins cannot now destroy her since they are laid upon Christ and swallowed up by him. And she has the righteousness in Christ, her husband, of which she may boast as of her own and which she can confidently display alongside her sins in the face of death and Hell and say, ‘If I have sinned, yet my Christ in whom I believe has not sinned, and all his is mine and all mine is his.’” Isn’t that a beautiful statement of how Christ has loved His Church? He went all the way to the cross to make us His own. We also see in verse 23, prior to today’s reading, that He leads the Church. Christ is the head of the Church. He has been given responsibility for the Church,...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nlt/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+4:4-16 (Ephesians 4:4-16) Are you a member of the church? This is not such a far-fetched question these days. Back in the 50s, even 60s, we were what might be termed as more of a churched culture. However, changes are taking place and people often choose not to be affiliated with any church or religion for that matter. They are referred to as the “Nones,” meaning when filling out forms asking religious affiliation, they just check “none of the above.” But if you are a member of the church, then my next question would be, What does your church membership mean to you? This is the subject I want to spend a few moments talking with you about today – membership and what it means for the Christian. ‘ I believe church membership is one of the most important things the church needs to get right today in this 21st century if we’re going to be healthy and growing for the cause of Christ! Many churches are weak because we have members who have turned the meaning of membership upside down in their minds, and it’s time to get it right. Some have come to think of church membership like membership in a club – such as a country club. You pay your dues each year and receive some perks and privileges. Certain amenities come along with it that you come to expect – the use of the pool, a discount on meals at the restaurant, a discount on a golf cart, or priority treatment on the golf course. Join the club and you will be served well. Tragically, though, this understanding of membership sometimes gets carried over into the Church of Jesus Christ. It’s a view many church members hold. We hear in statements such as these: ▸ This is my church! You better play the music the way I want it! ▸ Look, pastor. Don’t forget who pays your salary. ▸ If you don’t do this program, I will withhold my check to the church. ▸ I have been a member of the church for more than 30 years, so I have a right to get what I want! This kind of thinking is not biblical nor faithful to what God had in mind when He first envisioned His Church. It’s important to ask the question, Where did the term “member” come from when it comes to belonging to a church? First of all, it’s not something that was just pulled out of thin air or taken from the business world. There’s a biblical background to using this term “church member.” It comes from a metaphor the Apostle Paul used to describe the Christian Church. Listen to his words again: “We are all one body. We have the same spirit; we’ve been called to the same glorious future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there’s only one God and Father who is over us all and in us all, living through us all.” This is us, folks! We are one body – like the human body with its many members – all connected, all necessary. The same Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to Jesus Christ and to the telling of the Good News of what He did for us on the cross. We have one resurrection, one hope, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father watching over us all. We have the same glorious future together – eternal life. We are the body of Christ – not an organization but a living, breathing organism. We have a calling and a mission to represent Jesus in this world and bring others to Him so they might be rescued from sin and death, and experience the abundant life God had in mind for us when He created us all in the first place. Each of us are body members. This is the origin of “church member.” The human body has different members that do different things – like eyes, feet, arms, legs, and so on. Each is necessary and important for the body as a whole in order for it to function well. So also in the body of Christ are members who play diverse, yet needful, roles for the whole body. Each member is different and valuable for the common good. Each one has a role, a function to work together with the other parts like a body. Each member has a special gift, Paul tells us, to...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+2:14-19 (Ephesians 2:14-19) What do you think of when you hear the word “church”? Someone might say, Well, I think of a building, a nice-looking place. Or, It’s a place you go on Sunday. Others may say, Well, I think of the denomination – like ‘I go to the Lutheran Church.’ Some people have rather distorted images of the church. For some, the church is like a gas station. It’s where you go to fill up your spiritual gas tank when you’re running low. It’s where you can get a good sermon to keep you going for the week. For others the church is like a movie theater, it’s a place to offer some entertainment. For an hour you can escape, get comfortable seats, leave your problems at the door, and come out feeling better than when you went in. For others, the church is like a drugstore where you can fill a prescription to deal with the pain in your life. Many churches are therapeutic. The church is seen by some as a big-box retailer. They see it as a place that offers the best products in a clean and safe environment for you and your family. It offers great services at a low price – an all-in-one stop. The church is a producer of programs for children, young people. Some see the church in a negative light. A book came out years ago that said, “People love Jesus, but they don’t like His Church.” Some see the church as an afterthought, something man-made. But really, we know from reading the Gospels, the Church was God’s idea. John Stott, an evangelical scholar from the last century wrote, “The Church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It’s not a divine afterthought. It’s not an accident of history. On the contrary, the Church is God’s new community.” Today I would propose to you that the Church is not something you go to; it’s not something to be devalued. It is what you are if you are in a relationship with Jesus Christ. This past year, a show came on television that was a very surprising blockbuster entitled, This Is Us. It’s the story about a family looking back on their past as they deal with the present and come to grips with who they are within the family. In the New Testament is a book that could very well be entitled the same thing – “This Is Us”. It’s a letter written by the Apostle Paul to some Christians who were trying to figure out what it meant to be the Church. He tells them in the opening parts of the letter how wonderful it is to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is what has happened to them. Once they were dead, but now they are alive. But then, in the nitty-gritty of the whole letter itself, is a talk about what it means to be Church. Paul says, I want to talk Church with you. He holds up different images for them and says, This is us – you and I – the Church. One image he uses is today’s passage where we read we are family. “So now, you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” When you become a follower of Jesus Christ, you inherit brothers and sisters who are connected through Christ to each other. An interesting thought to consider is, How does one become a member of our earthly family? It is through birth or adoption, right? Well, we enter Christ’s family the same way. In John chapter 3, we find Jesus talking with a religious man named Nicodemus about the importance of being born again – born into the family of God, becoming a new person in Christ. We’re adopted into God’s family through baptism. This description of church families is a very intimate image when you think about it. We, as families, would probably die for each other. As a parent, I would die for my kids. Some of us would even admit that we would be willing to kill for each other. Family is where they have to take you in. It’s a place where you belong! I imagine those people who received...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+13:31-32 (Matthew 13:31-32) The parable of the mustard seed, which Jesus shares, teaches us precious truths that every believer can cling to with hope. Have you ever worried that your faith is wimpy and weak, not strong enough to do you any good? Have you ever worried that the questions percolating in your soul might undo you? The parable of the mustard seed, which Jesus shares, teaches us precious truths that every believer can cling to with hope. Have you ever worried that your faith is wimpy and weak, not strong enough to do you any good? Have you ever worried that the questions percolating in your soul might undo you? Remember the man who brought his son, who was possessed by an evil spirit, to Jesus? The spirit would throw the boy to the ground causing him to foam at the mouth. He’d be struck mute and stiffen out in his body. The father pleaded with Jesus, “If you can do anything to help us, have pity on us.” Jesus, almost with indignation said, “If I can? Haven’t I told you – ‘ALL things are possible to him who believes’?” Then the father confessed this classic line, “I do believe. Help my unbelief.” Have you ever prayed that prayer? Have you ever prayed, Lord God, I do believe, but the day is so dark, and I’m struggling with doubt. Lord Jesus, I do believe your promises but I have questions that enter my mind. I do believe; help my unbelief. Mustard seed faith knows it’s not the size of our faith that is most important, but the One in whom our faith rests. It is not the purity of our faith but the fact that our faith rests in the all powerful Lord Jesus Christ who loves us. Jim Bjorge, an eloquent preacher, told the story years ago of a man traveling by foot in early winter in the state of Minnesota. In his travels, he came to a wide river. The man simply did not know if the ice was thick enough or therefore safe to bear his weight. His first few tentative steps on the ice, his heart was thumping in his chest. He was literally shaking in fear! Then the ice cracked under his feet, and he sprawled flat on his belly on the ice, afraid he would go through. While he was lying there cheek to the ice, he heard the sound of sleigh bells, and around the bend of the river came a team of huge horses with the driver guiding a sleigh filled with huge logs cut from the woods. Yes, the ice was thick enough to bear his weight. Sometimes we’re afraid Jesus can’t take care of us. Sometimes our faith is shaky and wimpy, and we don’t know if we’re okay. It’s not the size of our faith that matters, but the fact that our faith trusts in the all-powerful Jesus, the Lover of our soul. So whatever measure of faith you have, invest it in Jesus. The second truth from this parable of the mustard seed is, when faith trusts God’s power, God brings new life into our spirit. All of us, as human beings, need God’s renewal. He keeps His word. In II Corinthians 5 it says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Radio preacher Vernon McGee once told a memorable story about a woman who lived in the deep South and had a close relationship with her childhood sweetheart, John. The woman found love with the man and ultimately married him. While their life together wasn’t perfect, they had many moments of wonderful joy in their marriage. Suddenly, tragically, her beloved husband died of a heart attack. The woman simply couldn’t part with her late husband so she decided to have him embalmed. She placed him sitting up in a chair and sealed him in a glass case. Then she placed John immediately inside the front door of her large southern plantation home. This way she could be with her husband every day. She’d enter the door, smile and say, “Hi, John. How are you?” and then go about, pretending he still shared life with her. This went on for more than a year. One day she decided to take a
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrs/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+13:44-46 (Matthew 13:44-46) One of my most prized possessions is a 1965 Martin D-35 guitar. It is in mint condition and worth a lot! If I were to sell it today, I’d make thousands on it. This guitar has a fun story behind its purchase. About twenty-five years ago or so, my dad was listening to a morning radio show, kind of a swap shop. People would call in with things to sell or trade. That morning a voice came over the air announcing this individual had a Martin guitar for sale for $400. My dad was immediately interested! The guy brought the guitar over to the house. One look at it, and my dad had his checkbook out and was writing a check for $400. (It was worth 10 times that.) You see, my dad knew a bargain when he saw one. Jesus, in our passage for today, told a couple stories to His disciples that have the same sort of feel to them. At an early stage in His ministry, Jesus was beginning to run into more and more opposition. This kingdom movement He was announcing was not quite picking up the momentum the disciples thought it might. Only twelve actually signed on and committed. There are rumblings of a conspiracy by Jesus’ opponents to kill Him and snuff out the ministry. The disciples had to have been concerned about their own welfare. They had left comforts behind to follow Jesus, and it might have had them wondering if following Jesus and serving Him was really worth it. Jesus addressed the question with two parables. He said the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, a valuable pearl. It was so valuable, the people who found it went after it for all they were worth in order to possess it. They knew a bargain when it was staring them in the face. Some things in this story you can’t help but notice. Number one, the different ways these valuable objects were found. One person stumbled upon the treasure. The other person – a merchant – searched for the pearl. People come to Christ in a variety of ways, maybe He is saying. They may stumble upon Him, or they may go for a long search to find Him by examining other philosophies, and so on. The second thing we notice is the people in these parables sold everything they had because they knew a bargain when they saw one. They couldn’t help themselves – they wanted to possess it. These two parables basically serve as analogies about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven means the kingdom of God. Jesus is not talking going to heaven so much, but about being under the rule of God. We know it will come in its fullness someday, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord. Everyone will love God, and love one another as God intended. We will live under Him in His kingdom under the Lordship of Jesus. Jesus was talking about His rule and His reign, not just in the world to come, but in our personal lives as well. God wants to have a relationship with us, which only will come through Jesus Christ. When Jesus announces the kingdom, in all likelihood Jesus is also pointing to Himself. One theologian wrote, “Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, and He was the kingdom of God.” It’s true! Jesus said God’s kingdom is the most valuable possession a person can ever own. One might ask what makes this kingdom, this relationship so valuable. First of all, it is valuable because I am a sinner. I am separated from God and in need of forgiveness for my sins. I have a tendency to thumb my nose in the face of God, to think I can run my own show without Him. In Christ there is forgiveness for my sins. The kingdom of God is also valuable because I am a mortal being. Someday I’m going to die. Jesus says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This kingdom is the promise of eternity living with God. Finally, it is valuable because I am spiritually dead without God in my life. Jesus said, “I came that you may have...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/luke/passage/?q=luke+1:26-38 (Luke 1:26-38) People sometimes use what they think is a biblical quote, but it really is not. It goes like this: “God works in strange and mysterious ways.” Though you would be hard-pressed to find this quote in Scripture, it is truth. People have been saying it about God for centuries. Years ago a man named William Cowper wrote a hymn: “God moves in mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.” Isaiah the prophet expresses amazement at the mysteries of God, when he says, “Truly, O God our Savior, you work in mysterious ways” (Is. 45:15). He also says, “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?” (Is. 40:13). The Apostle Paul stood in awe of God’s mysteries and wrote, “How unsearchable are his ways!” (Rom. 11:33). Such is the case as you consider today’s story about Mary. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Just think about it. The world needed a Savior from sin, so God devised a plan, which is rather mysterious and out of the ordinary. He decided to send His Son, Jesus, as a baby, God incarnate, God in the flesh, who will eventually die on a cross to pay for the sins of the world. Mysterious. Even more mysterious is the reason why He would do that for me knowing the kind of person I am inside and the depths of my sin. This love of God is mysterious. If you were in charge of sending this Savior, where would you choose to have Him raised? Surely a kingly palace would have been a smart thing. A place where He would be safe and secure and receive the best. After all, He is the Savior. Or perhaps a priestly, educated family could fill Him with knowledge and show Him the way around through Israel’s religious system. How about a mature family who is practiced in raising children, known amongst the community for how well they do with kids? They can make Him safe and secure and keep Him healthy. It makes sense to us, right? But not to God. He instead chose Mary, a teenager – probably 14 or 15 years old – with little status in the ancient world. She was probably uneducated, from a little backwater town named Nazareth of which sophisticated Jewish folks would say, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? They’re a bunch of hicks! She was engaged to a carpenter who was barely able to eke out a living. One has to wonder how good he was at his business. After all, when they gave an offering after the circumcision of Jesus, they offered two pigeons, which is what only the poverty-stricken were instructed to give. Still God chose Mary to bring the Savior, the Son of God, into this world. God works in mysterious ways! Why, you may wonder. First of all, the response would be because He is God. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. He sometimes chooses to use the weak to lead the strong. Perhaps His grace was behind this. He wanted to show us how He can take ordinary people and use them in great ways. Or it might be about His mind. As He does His way, we learn we can trust Him, and He really knows what makes things work. We give the glory when it goes right instead of giving ourselves the credit. Yes, God knew Mary’s heart, her faith in Him, her willingness to submit to His plan. We can’t know for certain. All we know is this – God called Mary. The rest is history. She responded with a few questions such as, How can this be? I’m a virgin. After it was explained to her, “Power from the most High will overshadow you,” she responded, “Here I am, your servant. Let it be to me according to your word.” Have you ever stopped to think of how brave those words are? She did not know what difficulties and complications lay ahead for her, but still she said “Let it be to me . . .” I love a little article in a book by Frederick Buechner about biblical characters. He writes about Gabriel the Angel who made
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/philippians/passage/?q=philippians+2:5-8 (Philippians 2:5-8) Recently, I heard a speaker ask this question, “What you want people to say about you at your funeral?” Two things came to mind when I thought about that question. First, an amusing story I’d read about a funeral. The deceased’s wife and two sons were seated in the front pew at the funeral. The songs had been sung and the preacher began to talk about the departed brother. “He was a man’s man!” “Amen!” said the congregation. “He was a man who worked hard!” A few people said, “Amen!” “He was a man the bottle could not control.” “Amen,” said one or two mourners. “He was a man who loved his home, and his wife and children.” “Amen.” “He was a man who paid his debts and told the truth.” (No amens, this time.) The poor wife couldn’t stand it any longer so she said to one of her sons, “Joe, go look in the casket and see if that’s really your daddy he’s talking about.” ☺ The other question that came to mind is, Is this really the right question to be asking? I propose to you, if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, that the most important question is not what I want people to say but what God wants people to be able to say about me. You see, God has a plan for folks like you and me when we place our trust in Christ. This God of ours is in the shaping business. We are His projects, His masterpieces when Christ steps into our lives. Scripture tells us that those whom God foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family (Rom. 8:29). Paul is telling us that God wants to shape us and conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. It’s kind of like a sculptor chipping away at us in order that we might be His masterpiece. I am reminded of the story of Michelangelo pushing a big granite rock up a hill. Someone said to him, “Michelangelo, what are you doing? What’s going on here?” He replied, “I am pushing this up to my home. I want to chip away at it in order to free the angel within it.” It’s kind of like that for us. We are God’s masterpiece, a work in progress. This begs the question: What does Jesus look like? Paul gives us a good answer to that question in the book of Philippians. He quotes an ancient Christian hymn they used in worship as he says, Have the mind of Jesus. He goes on to say – here is what Jesus was like – “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross.” So what does Jesus look like? According to what Paul is telling us that Jesus is a humble servant. By the way, the song ends reminding us that this humble servant was exalted by God. Now where does Paul (or whoever wrote this song) get this idea? Perhaps from Mark chapters 9 and 10 where Jesus is speaking with His disciples on the question of greatness – how to be a great person in the kingdom of God. His disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. When Jesus came upon them, He said to them, “Whoever is great in my kingdom is one who is willing to be last of all, and servant of all.” Not long after that, two of His disciples, James and John, said, Lord, we want to be your vice-presidents when you come into power. We want the recognition and the fame and the status. We want the title, Jesus. Jesus, in correcting them, gives His own mission statement. He says, “I came not to be served but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many.” He came to serve! At another time, Jesus was teaching a group of people who had come to take in His wisdom. He said to them, “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-30). God’s shaping plan is to...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/1-peter/passage/?q=1-peter+2:4-7 (I Peter 2:4-7) Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. If you were to build a house, what is the first thing you would need? What is the first thing a contractor or carpenter would ask for? He’d ask for a blueprint, for drawings of how the house is to be laid out and the architectural design for the house. If you were to build a house on the western coast of Southern California, you would also need the construction plans to include earthquake design requirements so it would not be shaken if some adversity came upon it. When the Scriptures speak about the Church of Jesus Christ – like the words of an old hymn – it says Jesus is the foundation. “Built on a Rock the Church will stand even when kingdoms are falling.” So the clear truth of I Peter 2 is that Jesus is the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Church being a temple, God’s house, and we as individual believers are living stones in that temple. But Jesus must be the cornerstone. What’s the purpose of the cornerstone? It’s the first stone set in a masonry foundation, and it determines the alignment of the entire structure. In our individual lives as people of faith, and certainly in the church, the temple of God, Jesus Christ must have first priority and first place in everything we do. Every aspect of a believer’s individual life and every aspect of the church as a collection of believers as living stones must orient itself to Jesus Christ. So we trust Jesus as the cornerstone of our lives and of our life together in the church. Jesus’s ethos, His ethic, His behavior patterns, His character, His heart, His passion must be the Church’s template for our life together. We not only model the temple of God after Jesus’ character, but we maybe more accurately conform all aspects of the Church’s life together to the heart of Jesus Christ. I also want you to realize that if we say Jesus is the cornerstone, there is no neutral response to Jesus. Scriptures say to not believe means Jesus becomes what the Greek word names as “the scandalon.” We use the word scandal to describe a publicly immoral and humiliating behavior or event. So when someone encounters Jesus or the offer of Jesus’ grace and love, but rejects Him, it’s a scandal. We trip over the stone. We fall over the precious truth and reject something essential for the construction of all of life and our life shared. Conversely, when we accept Jesus, all of life falls into alignment to that central precious confession. We need to understand that God is the builder of His temple. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain,” the Word says in Psalm 127:1. So God builds us collectively into His temple, God’s house – the place where God lives and dwells. The place where His glory is revealed. We are living stones connected together, gathered together, in order to invite God’s presence be manifested among us. Therefore we, as living stones, are interconnected and essential to one another. The unity of God is a gift, but our interconnected essential dependence is part of His plan. This flies in the face of rugged American individualism where we thump our chests and think, I don’t need anybody else in my life. In the Church we openly say, “I need you; I depend upon you, and you need me.” When I was in college, in the summers I worked construction for a lumberyard in Cylinder, Iowa. I was assigned on several occasions to work with a mason contractor in building house foundations from cement blocks. I remember him yelling out as I mixed mortar for the laying of those blocks, “More mud! Bring me more mud!” And in five-gallon buckets I would carry mud to where he was working. What is the mortar that holds the living stones of the Church in God’s Temple together? First, I’d say in our imperfect brokenness as sinners, we are united in the need for Jesus’ grace...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/passage/?q=matthew+13:24-30;+matthew+13:36-43 (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) My wife and I took a couple weeks off last month and went to Denmark. Guess what we found everywhere when we got back to our home. Weeds! Weeds, weeds, weeds, and more weeds. A reality for any gardener or farmer, those pesky weeds keep showing up. I don’t know about you, but the Kramers hate weeds! We work pretty hard to keep our garden and our lawn weed free. We are always pulling, spraying, clipping, and complaining about them. Get rid of those weeds! Where do they come from? We don’t like living with weeds. Jesus told a peculiar story about weeds one day. We find it in Matthew 13. There was this farmer who sowed good seed in his field in hopes of a good wheat crop. One night, an enemy came and threw weed seeds into it. When it all started sprouting up weeks later, the slaves were in a snit. “Master, didn’t you sow good seed?” (It’s almost as if they are saying it accusingly. What did you do wrong? Where did these weeds come from?) The master said, “My enemy has done this.” “Well, do you want us to go out and weed?” the servant asked. “No,” the master said. “You might tear out the weed with the wheats.” The roots would be intertwined. By the way, the Greek word used for weeds here intimates it was a weed called darnell, which was a rye grass sort of weed, it resembles wheat in the early stages, and its seeds were known to be poisonous. But the master said, “No, let them grow together, and at harvest time I’ll have the reapers separate them. I will even out wit my enemy by using his weeds as fuel for my furnace.” End of story. It’s kind of a peculiar story. People must have wondered what Jesus meant by it. We know His followers didn’t get its meaning, because later they asked Him about it in private. Jesus explained, the field is the world God created and loves. It is the world He wants to redeem and restore, to make fruitful and good again. The good wheat is the sons of the kingdom – followers of Jesus who have heard the message of God’s kingdom, His rule and reign over people’s lives. They know a new day had arrived, and they repent, believe, and serve Him. The pesky weeds represent the sons of the evil one. They cause all kinds of evil in this world. Jesus points out that even though the kingdom Jesus is preaching about has arrived, there is resistance to it. I think especially of Herod who tried to kill the infant Jesus. We have an enemy – Satan, the evil one. He wants to ruin God’s field. Jesus came into the world proclaiming the kingdom of heaven, and immediately the battle was on. Satan did everything he could to resist its expansion. We have the temptation story. C. S. Lewis wrote, “There is no neutral ground in this universe. Every square inch has been claimed by Christ and counterclaimed by Satan.” Jesus tells us the reapers are God’s angels. They’ll do the separating. The harvest is the end of the age – judgment day, separation day. The day is surely coming when the weeds will be picked, bundled, and burned. The righteous ones, Christ’s followers, will shine like the sun in the perfect kingdom of the Father. What is the take away? Jesus is pointing out to His followers that yes, there are weeds in the garden of God’s world. The kingdom has arrived, but there is still evil and resistance to God’s rule and God’s ways happening in this world. Sometimes it may even appear that the weeds have the upper hand and are thriving as they have their way in God’s world. Have you ever wondered if evil is winning? Drug abuse is ruining lives around us. Our world has sex trafficking of children, human beings being treated badly, violence, the porn industry is exploding and ruining lives, immorality and poor values abound. We watch good people suffer and evil people prosper. Those of us in the Church see Jesus being persecuted, ridiculed, and looked down upon. Who hasn’t wondered, What gives...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/john/passage/?q=john+7:37-39 (John 7:37-39) We’re told by our doctors that we need to drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day in order to have a healthy functioning body. We need water to survive and thrive. No water = no life. Medical experts will tell you they estimate more than 60% of our body is water. Apart from brains, bones, and a few organs, we’re basically walking water balloons. We need to be constantly filling up. Try to stop drinking for a while and see what happens. Your coherent thoughts will begin to vanish, your skin will grow clammy, and your vital organs will wrinkle and stop functioning correctly. Your eyes need water, fluid to cry. Your mouth needs moisture to swallow. Your glands need sweat to keep your body cool. Your cells need blood to carry them, and your joints need fluid to lubricate them. Your body and my body need water the same way a tire needs air. Water is important! A few years ago, our congregation began sponsoring teams of people to run. We gave the money they earned to World Vision International to put wells into villages where there was no water to drink. Life without water is absolutely miserable. In fact, it is difficult to survive. Life needs water. Yet life is more than physical, isn’t it? We are spiritual beings, as well, created in God’s image, needing refreshment for our hearts and souls. Jesus reminds us of this in today’s text. It seems a lot of people walk around these days with a dehydrated heart. It’s all shriveled up and lacking real life. People are thirsty for peace within, forgiveness for the guilt they bear, a sense of truth to believe in and build a life upon, for a sense of purpose. The bottom line, though, is our thirsty hearts long to enjoy the presence of God. Our hearts desire a relationship with the One who made us. Psalm 72 tells us, “As a deer pants for living water, so my soul longs for you, Lord. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” When you think about it, dehydrated hearts send some rather desperate messages. Externally, we may exhibit a snarling temper, waves of worry and anxiety, growls of fear and guilt, loneliness, hopelessness, or insecurity. Knowing this about us, Jesus spoke at a public gathering to the inner thirst of people like you and I. Jesus was at a big festival called the Festival of Booths in Jerusalem. It commemorates the wilderness wanderings of the Jews when God took care of them after saving them from slavery in Egypt and providing everything they needed along the way. One of the big events in the Festival was remembering when people cried out against Moses because they needed water. They were dying of thirst and very angry. God had Moses strike a rock and from it came a gushing stream of water for all the people and their livestock to drink. During this festival, they would commemorate God providing the water we need. It was a reminder that, even in the agricultural society of that day, God is the one who gives us the water we physically need to survive. So the priest would take a golden pitcher, fill it with water from the Pool of Siloam, proceed to Temple, and pour it out on the altar commemorating the event when God provided. On the last day of the festival – the great day as it was described in John’s Gospel – a voice shouted out an invitation and a promise. It was the voice of Jesus. He wasn’t simply clearing His throat saying, If you’re looking for water, I know where to get it. No, this was a cry, a shout. Jesus, by the way, was taking a chance in speaking up. Jerusalem was hostile territory for Him. Many of the authorities had been trying to figure out a way to destroy Him. But this news was so important Jesus couldn’t keep it to Himself. So, before the pitcher was poured out, Jesus shouted, “Anyone who is thirsty, come to me. Let the one who believes in me drink. As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of the heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” John...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+4:1-6 (Ephesians 4:1-6) Our world is filled with things that divide us. For instance, • Political philosophies – are you a Republican or are you a Democrat? • Racial dividers – skin color can cause a great deal of hurt in this world. • Class dividers – the amount of income you make separates you from other people. There are the upper, middle class, and lower class with a widening gap between the lower and the upper. • Gender dividers as women cry out for equal pay and equal opportunities in the business world. • Generational dividers between young and old. I remember this statement from when I was a teen: “Don’t trust anyone over the age of thirty.” Now it would probably be, Don’t listen to anyone over the age of thirty. We have constant misunderstandings – dividers – which can cause division, hostility, hatred, inequality, distrust, resentment, and brokenness in our world and in our relationships. The sad thing is, this was never God’s intention. God’s original intention in Genesis 1 was for us to live in harmony, love God above all things, and love our neighbor. But then sin entered into the picture and blew it all apart. So in Genesis 1 through 11, we find the destruction of God’s perfect world with brokenness and division by the end of chapter 11 – nation against nation, man against woman, brother against brother, heavenly against the earthly. This wasn’t God’s intention. Years ago I took a course and then taught it at my own church. It was called “Divine Drama,” and it had a wonderful analogy that describes this reality. It goes like this: Imagine yourself standing on a hill, looking down into a valley at a beautiful mansion. Suddenly a tornado shows up and begins to rip away at the house. There go the shudders; then the chimney begins to crumble down. Then the roof is blown away. Suddenly the walls are crumbling down and the foundation is being chipped away. Before you know, the whole house is wrecked and the tornado moves on. Along comes a figure in the distance. It begins to take the pieces of that house and put it back together again. This is what’s going on in Scripture. God built this beautiful place. It was destroyed by sin, but God’s plan is to put it all back together again. Paul tells us in the book of Ephesians, “God has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (1:9-10). God wants to put it all back together again. His goal is for people to be reconciled to Him and to one another as they worship God and love one another. Paul uses the first three chapters of Ephesians to describe the means God uses to make this happen. First, he talks about Jesus and the cross. You were dead in your sin, but God in his love for you gave us his Son, Jesus Christ who died on a cross to pay for our sinfulness. God raised Him from the grave and promises that all who place their trust in His Son Jesus Christ can be reconciled to God and become His own once again. The relationship can be restored. So we are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1-6.). Paul doesn’t stop there. He goes on to talk about the working of the Holy Spirit who calls us together as one community known as the Church, the body of Christ. We know the story from Pentecost – three thousand strangers suddenly became one body through the gospel being preached. They became one, known as the body of Christ, the Church (Eph. 2:11-22). We know that based on the work of Christ, the Spirit calls forth this newly constituted people known as the Church. He makes them a people for His name. He has a high purpose for them. When I was a kid, I had to memorize most of Luther’s Small Catechism for confirmation; perhaps you did too. Do you remember Martin Luther’s third article of the Apostles’
http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+22:15-22 (Matthew 22:15-22) With America’s Independence Day celebration just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to look at getting a grip on citizenship and how Christians are to relate to government and country. We’re going to talk about politics and religion today. With America’s Independence Day celebration just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to look at getting a grip on citizenship and how Christians are to relate to government and country. We’re going to talk about politics and religion today. These days politics and religion are hot topics. Maybe they always have been. It can be wise to avoid bringing these subjects up at social gatherings, because they can make for some very lively conversations. People have strong opinions about these things, and rooms can get heated fast. If you want to see real fireworks, ask about how politics and religion work together. Yet I think it is important to have an understanding of how a follower of Jesus lives out their life in relationship to government. What does God expect from us? What does He want? If you are a Christian, you know that those of us who know and trust Jesus are described in the New Testament as aliens, exiles, strangers on earth, citizens of heaven, and ambassadors for Christ. We have a dual citizenship working in our lives. So how does a citizen of God’s kingdom conduct himself as a citizen of the nation? Jesus has some great answers for us in Matthew 22. As you probably know, Jesus had very strong opposition to His earthly ministry. Religious authorities like the Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t know what to make of Him. They didn’t particularly like Him. They saw Him as trouble. Other groups, like the Herodians in the story today, were a type of quisling group who worked quietly in the background with the Roman government. They didn’t like Jesus either. He was popular with the people, which worried the authorities. So they were constantly trying to wreck His ministry by questioning Him and challenging His authority. They wanted to destroy Him. In today’s passage, we find these groups attempting to trick Jesus and make Him look bad. They challenge Him with a question about politics and religion. First of all, notice who it is that brings the question: the Herodians and the Pharisees who didn’t even like each other. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum from one another in terms of agreeing on anything, but they didn’t like Jesus even more. So they got together to knock Jesus off. They open their approach with some flattery, perhaps to catch Jesus off guard, before they went in for the kill with their question. They describe Him as one with integrity and moral courage, who knows and teaches the ways of God. It’s only sweet talk. But then comes the tough question to discredit Jesus in the eyes of the people or to get Him in trouble with the Roman government. “Jesus, is it lawful for us as God’s people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Should we or shouldn’t we pay taxes? Here is where a little background would help. Paying that tax, which is one of three taxes, was a very sensitive issue of the day for the Jewish people. First of all, they hated Rome because Rome had taken over their land and was pushing them around. They were in subservience to Rome. That was bad enough, but then the Romans insisted on taxing them to keep the infrastructures going. And to make matters worse, the coinage used to pay this poll tax had an image of Caesar on it declaring his divinity and his being a great high priest. It was propaganda that was offensive and blasphemous to the Jewish people who followed the one true God and His command of not making images. So these opponents of Jesus, when they brought this question to Him, thought they had Him cornered. If He says to pay the tax, the haters of Rome, which is 99% of the Jewish population, would now view Him as...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+5:21-30 (Ephesians 5:21-30) Do you love church? Or do you love the Church? I remind you, the Church is not a building of brick and mortar, or wood, plaster, sheet rock, and shingles. The Church is the people, the people of God. One of the scriptural images of the Church – believers in Jesus Christ – is that the Church is the bride and Jesus Christ is the bridegroom. Scripture makes clear as we read from Ephesians that Jesus Christ loves the Church. The Church is full of imperfect people, yet Jesus is crazy about His people in love, committed to our well-being, sacrificial in serving us. His love for us is unconditional and eternal. So I’d like to explore some powerful truths about Jesus the Bridegroom and those who believe in Jesus as the bride of Christ. First, Jesus is the Bridegroom who pursues the Church to rescue her. As in Ephesians 5, “. . . as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. . . .” Anytime a wife would be in danger, the husband, because of his love, would put his life on the line to rescue her. I recently read a story in the newspaper of a man in Gwembe, Zambia Africa. In the year 2011, his wife was snatched by a big crocodile while she was washing clothes in the river. The man dove into the river and swam to where the big crock had his wife in his jaws. He grabbed the crocodile around the belly and dragged it back to the shallows. Then he jammed his hand and arm into the mouth of crocodile and began to beat the crock on the head with a stick until finally it released it’s grip on his wife and tried to snatch the husband in it’s jaws. The crocodile missed the husband and swam away. Both husband and wife were bloody but safe. The husband had rescued his wife. Jesus is the Bridegroom who rescues His people, the bride of Christ. He does it in love at great sacrifice. Every Popeye has his Olive Oyl. Every Tarzan is willing to rescue his Jane. I love reading Louis L’Amour westerns where the hero cowboy defeats the evil people, and in the end gets the girl. This is the Bible’s eternal plot line. Jesus comes for His people to rescue us in love and defeat the evil one. Jesus is the Bridegroom who pursues us to rescue us in love, but He also comes as the Bridegroom to propose to His beloved. It’s an invitation of love that requests a response. This is the nature of love – to confess it and risk rejection. Do you remember the movie “Runaway Bride” where Julia Roberts plays the character Maggie Carpenter? The movie is called “Runaway Bride” because Maggie has been engaged multiple times but always leaves her betrothed husband standing at the altar. The essence of the lifetime love that God offers us in Jesus Christ is not one only based on momentary passion or feeling. God offers us a covenant of love that evokes a commitment of love and trust from us. The Bridegroom and the bride are invited to say I do, and our yes to Jesus Christ invites us to say yes in faith in response to Jesus Christ. Have you ever, in a simple prayer of faith, said Yes, Jesus. I believe in You. God’s Spirit continually whispers His invitation that we would share His love and His life day by day in a covenant of love. Jesus is also the Bridegroom who protects His bride to keep her safe in His arms of love. In Psalm 62 we read, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone.” When the arms of Jesus’ promises surround us, our faith trusts His strength. Jesus is our safe place. His strength holds us up. We hide in His love. But that type of protective love also is a jealous love. In Exodus, it says, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (20:5). God is not insecure or paranoid. He tolerates no rivals. Intimacy by definition means being exclusive to one. God is a jealous God who wants us to love Him above all others. Do you remember when God asked Hosea to take a prostitute to be his wife as a living image of the Lord’s love for His people, Israel? Hosea’s love...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsva/psalms/71.html (Psalm 71) Back in the 80s and 90s, I used to do quite a bit of running and managed to complete a couple of the Twin Cities Marathons. At the starting line of a marathon, everyone is chattering, happy, and chirpy. Many people show up in costume, and many others are bundled up because it’s usually cold in the early morning. The end, however, has an interesting change. People’s faces are much more stern. Not much talking is going on; the runners are gutting it out. Some people are barely putting one foot in front of the other. The only real talking you hear is from the sidelines as friends and loved ones scream, “Come on! You can make it! You can make it!” The last part of the marathon is typically the hardest. Such is the case with the seasons of life. A fella I know, who works with senior citizens, said one time, “God seems to save the hardest part until last.” Have you ever heard the phrase, “Growing old ain’t for sissies”? Maybe you know exactly what that means. Having many years, though, is considered a blessing according to Scripture. Still we know the last stretch can oftentimes be quite hard. The body isn’t working like it used to. Parts are wearing out. The memory isn’t as sharp. A grieving is going on – loss of spouse, loss of friends. Physical abilities are starting to fall by the wayside. More and more we experience a loss of independence, and you find yourself going to more funerals for peers. Some people go through the experience of feeling quite alone and isolated, forgotten. They feel they’ve lost the respect of others around them. It’s a sad time for them. It’s a real shame when this happens, because the elderly are meant to be prized. The Bible tells us to honor them, for they have so much to teach those of us who are coming up the ranks to join them someday. Such is the case in this prayer, Psalm 71. It was written by an elderly person of God who was facing hard times in his last stretch of life. He has something very important, I believe, to teach us. This person is not feeling very prized by others either. He’s under fire and going through tough times. People try to “get after” him and give him a hard time. Something bad is happening in his life as he talks of the hands of the wicked and the unjust and the cruel person. He describes conspiring accusers out to get him, to wreck his life, and he’s feeling forsaken by God. He’s even worried about whether God is looking over him. His strength is gone. He’s tired; he’s sick perhaps. Some Bible scholars have speculated that this Psalm could have very well been written by King David when he was running from his son Absalom, who was trying to overthrow his kingdom. He is desperate and in need of refuge, rescue, help, strength, and vindication. As you read it, you see all those words. He’s under attack, and he’s feeling old, because he is old. Things are so bad, he seems to have a touch of anxiety about his standing with God at this stage in his life. “Do not cast me off in the time of my old age, God,” he says. “Forsake me not when my strength is spent.” Perhaps people had been saying the Lord has deserted him. God has grown tired of him and won’t take care of him. Now we can get him. This person is absolutely overwhelmed by life. Have you ever felt that way? Like you need refuge? You need strength, because yours is spent. You are feeling under attack. How do you get through it? How do you get a grip on aging? Well, let me tell you, this guy is very wise in Psalm 71. He knows exactly where to turn. Verse 1 – “In you, O Lord, I take refuge.” He knows how big and faithful God is, and what He can do. Listen to his God descriptors in this song, this prayer he’s written. “(You are) my rock, my Refuge, my Fortress.” Righteous, faithful, holy One, mighty, Savior, powerful, Creator, personal, in control. Wow! That is quite a resume, wouldn’t you say. How does he know all this? The answers can be...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/john/passage/?q=john+15:12-15 (John 15:12-15) Many years ago, Dionne Warwick sung a hit song on the radio. It went like this: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of . . . “ How true those words are. Love is important. Love is needed in our marriages. A loveless marriage is not going to last long. If it does, it’ll be a long, miserable experience for both parties. Love is needed in our churches. As we love one another, we represent Christ better to those who stand outside the Christian faith. Maybe you’ve heard this statement: A cold church – like butter – will not spread. Love is needed in our homes, amongst our family members, and in our friendships so we might grow closer and enjoy one another. Love is needed in our world. This world can seem so gloomy and loveless some days. As we watch the news, we see people being terrible to one another in a host of creative ways. Jesus made a big deal about love. Love one another; love your neighbor; love God. So today I thought we’d answer this question, How do we get a grip on love? Jesus is our expert coach for today because He is the ultimate when it comes to the matter of love. He modeled it and stressed the importance of love in our relationships during His ministry on earth. In fact, He even covered this topic on the very last night He was with His followers before He was taken to the cross. Listen to His words again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Jesus said something similar earlier in the Upper Room. “A new commandment I give you: Love one another as I have loved you. By this all people will know you are my disciples [if you love one another]” (John 13:34-35). What did Jesus mean when He said love? The word love is used so freely in our world and sometimes in a most confused way. It may be related to a feeling, like you fall in love. A romantic sort of thing. But Jesus isn’t talking about this when He speaks about love to His disciples. The Greek language has four words for love in the New Testament. • Phileo – friendship type of love. • Storge – family type of love. • Eros – romantic attraction kind of love. • Agape – sacrificial love that gives for the sake of the other. Agape is the word Jesus uses in His statements. In fact, He pretty much defines agape in the next statement He made after the commandment. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Love is not a noun; it’s not a feeling. It’s something you do. It’s active. Love is an act of the will, not something you conjure up like a feeling, but a decision. I’m going to love that person. Jesus even gives us a clue as to what love looks like when He says this little statement at the end, “As I have loved you, love one another.” We ask, How has He loved those disciples? and How has He loved us? We find our clues about His intent as we watch Jesus’ actions in the Gospels. We first learn that Agape love is a love that gives. Love gives! He sacrificed His life for them and for us at the cross. He gave Himself away. He emptied Himself so we could be rescued from sin and death. Love gives. Anne LaMott wrote of an eight-year-old boy who had a younger sister dying of leukemia. He was told that without a blood transfusion, she would die. So his parents asked if they could test his blood to see if he was compatible with hers. He agreed, was tested, and it was a match. Then he was asked if he would give his sister a pint of his own blood – which could be her only chance of living. He said he would have to think about it overnight. The next day the little boy told his parents he was willing to donate his blood. So they took him to the hospital where he was put on a Gurney beside his six-year-old sister. They were both hooked up to IVs. A nurse took a pint of blood from the boy and gave...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsva/acts/passage/?q=acts+2:1-42 (Acts 2:1-42) (Selected verses) Have you ever felt intimidated? Intimidation is defined as scared, unnerved, or even terrified by something or someone. We can be intimidated by all kinds of things, such as circumstances and various situations in life like a huge project at work with a deadline to be met. Maybe you need a major surgery. You know the risks and the long recovery with it. It can be rather daunting, intimidating. Perhaps you need to make a change in your living situation. A move from a familiar setting to something new can be intimidating as well. People can be intimidating. Some people, just by their size, can intimidate us, especially if they have a mean streak in them. Some people with strong personalities can be intimidating. Bosses, managers, or coaches who are screamers can be very intimidating, which is not very helpful. I have found many followers of Jesus Christ in my years of ministry in the church who tend to feel intimidated at the thought of talking about Jesus outside the church building. A few years ago a blockbuster movie called “The Silence of the Lambs” hit the market. This title fits well for us within the Church who Jesus described as His sheep and His lambs. There is a lot of silence of the lambs when it comes to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others outside the church. We’re intimidated. Years ago I caught a vision for training my congregation in evangelism. I started teaching Evangelism Explosion, which trains them in the classroom as they practice the story of Jesus with each other. Then we went out to knock on doors. A couple of my young trainees ran to the restroom to throw up each time before they went out. I know that feeling. I felt the way when I started my training in evangelism as well. But, wow! Did we learn how to share the Gospel! I found, however, that even after people are trained, they never use it. They just maintain silence. We have to wonder what causes the silence. For some in the church, it’s simply not knowing how. No one has ever taught them. That is the church’s fault, if it is your reasoning. For some, it is a poor theology they’ve picked up along the way. They reason, All roads lead to the same place. We’re going to heaven, so why bother? But it’s not true. Some people believe their life is their witness. I don’t have to say anything. People can just observe my lifestyle and be able to figure it out. While it helps to have a consistent life for Christ, words need to be shared as well. More often than not, I’ve discovered the reason we don’t talk about our faith is intimidation (fear of rejection) and ridicule (fear of blowing it and causing further damage to someone’s spiritual walk), fear of causing friction in the home or amongst the larger family, fear of losing a friendship, or fear of being offensive. For some it is a legitimate fear because when people do this sort of thing, they could lose their lives or their jobs or even their families as they are disowned for their faith. But the truth is, Jesus called us to be His witnesses out in the world. So how does a follower of Jesus Christ get a grip on the calling from Jesus to be a witness? I believe we have some good news in our text for today. If you put your trust in it, it can help you overcome your intimidation. It’s an unusual story. It’s inspiring and amazing as well. The followers of Jesus had been told by Him that they were to be His witnesses from Jerusalem to Judea to the ends of the earth. He gave them an amazing vision of their future. They, of course, must have been more than a little intimidated at the thought of carrying this out after Jesus ascended. After all, they had witnessed their Master being treated very cruelly and nailed to a cross only a few weeks earlier for His message. But during that talk, Jesus promised them that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit. In Acts...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/romans/passage/?q=romans+5:6-11 (Romans 5:6-11) Sacrifice. What is so important in life to you that you would die to protect it or obtain it? Who is so precious to you that you would sacrifice everything to rescue them from danger? Love involves sacrifice. There are many examples of sacrifice. We think of an athlete who disciplines their body in the rhythms of life to maximize their ability in the designated sport. We think of a parent who sacrifices greatly to protect or improve the quality of life for their child. Or missionaries who leave their homeland, family, and comfort share the life-changing message of Jesus’ love with another culture. On this particular weekend we think of soldiers who put their lives on the line to gain or protect our freedom. They might have even paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy our freedom. Today I want to talk with you about God’s supreme sacrifice in offering Jesus to us, and Jesus’ supreme sacrifice in going to the cross so we might be forgiven, reconciled to God, and live with Him by faith in a relationship of love. We know the verse, John 3:16 and 17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life, for the Father did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” In 1967, a man named Dennis Hensley wrote a fictional short story, which has been read and retold countless times. It is called, “The Railway Switchman and His Child.” “There was once a swing bridge that spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river parallel with the banks allowing ships to pass freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river allowing the train to cross it. A switchman sat in a shack on one side of the river where he operated the control to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed. “One evening as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through dimming twilight and caught sight of the train lights approaching. He stepped onto the control bridge and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance, then he turned the bridge into position. However, to his horror, he found the locking control did not work. If the bridge was not securely in position, it would cause the train to jump the track and crash into the river. This last train of the day would be a passenger train with many people aboard. He left the bridge and hurried across to the other side of the river where there was another lever switch he could hold to operate the lock manually. He would have to hold the lever back firmly as the train crossed. “He could hear the rumble of the train approaching now. He took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply his weight locking the bridge. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man’s strength. “Then, coming across the bridge from the direction of the control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. ‘Daddy? Where are you?’ His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge looking for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, ‘Run! Run boy!’ But the train was too close. He knew his tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left the lever to snatch up his son and carry him to safety, but he realized he will not get back to the lever in time if he saved his son. Either many people on the train would die, or his own son must die. “He took but a moment to make his decision. The train sped safely and swiftly on its way, and no one on board the train was even aware of the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train. Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of the sobbing...
Back in the 1980s, I really liked a song by the band U2. The title was “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” The song sounds a bit like a personal lament, like a Psalm out of the Bible in a way. Something is missing in this person’s life, and he can’t find it. Perhaps it is satisfaction, perhaps contentment. After all, contentment is something we all long for in our lives, don’t we? Yet it seems to elude so many people. I heard someone say one time, “Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.” Someone else said, “Discontent, like ink poured into a bottle of water, turns all to blackness.” It can have a really nasty effect on us and turn things dark. What’s behind the discontentment we sometimes experience? One word that comes to mind is envy. It’s an age-old human problem. Proverbs says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot” (Prov. 14:30). Again and again throughout Old and New Testament we see the problems attached to envy. For instance, Cain was envious of his brother, Abel. Sarah was envious of Hagar, who could have a child though Sarah could not. King Saul was envious and jealous of David’s popularity and chased him out in the wilderness to kill him. In the New Testament, we find the Pharisees envious of Jesus. Pontius Pilate even remarked on it as Jesus stood trial before him. Envy has the power to bring out the worst in us. Essayist Joseph Epstein once said, “Of the seven deadly sins, only envy is no fun at all.” When the Grand Hall in Florence, Italy was being decorated a long time ago, outstanding artists were asked to submit drawings. Leonardo da Vinci, the artist of his time, seemed to be the man for the job. However, a young man by the name of Michelangelo submitted some sketches, and they were magnificent! The committee was so enthusiastic, they gave the job to him. When the news of this choice reached Leonardo da Vinci, the old artist went into a decline from which he never fully recovered. Evidently, envy of his young competitor took its toll on da Vinci. On and on it goes, even amongst us in this day and age. We are envious of the person who got the promotion at the office instead of us, the guy on the team who gets more playing time than we do, the woman at the office who receives more attention from the boss than the others. Envy can kick in and cause us to do, think, and feel some ugly things. This battle goes on inside of us because of our sinful nature. It all begins when we compare ourselves with other people. Our ego, selfishness, and pride kick in. External triggers can get us going. Outside sources may point out what we’re lacking in our lives and make us feel like we’re missing out. Turn on the television set and you see commercials telling you that you need their product. You will be happy if you only purchase this, use this, take this, eat this, drink this, drive this, or wear this. On Facebook people post highlights of them having the best of times. Sometimes we read them and think, Look at the pictures! Boy, I wish I could go on a vacation like that! If only I had a bit more money. My life isn’t half as fun and exciting. I wish I had those kinds of friends. I’m really missing out. There’s financial envy too – I wish I had their income, as we watch the neighbor build a big and beautiful house. Or relational envy – I wish I had friends or family like hers. Or circumstantial envy – I wish I had a spouse, as I sit and watch couples having a good time. Envy can get us into such trouble. Every time someone feels green with envy, they are ripe for trouble. It can ruin your attitude, steal your joy, and move you to do some unwise things like purchase things you can’t really afford in order to keep up with others, or talk other people down who have what you don’t have, or wish ill will toward those who have what you want. It can wreck our relationship with God. We become upset with Him and blame...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/2-timothy/passage/?q=2-timothy+1:1-7 (II Timothy 1:1-7) I’d like to share a quote with you on parenting I have come to appreciate, and I think you will too. It was written by pastor and author Chuck Swindoll. “Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” As Christian parents, Julie and I worked to deposit many things into our children, such as our love for them, how much we value them, our wisdom, our knowledge. We tried to give them our best. We also passed along our love of music, learning, reading, baseball, and the Minnesota Twins. Our love for our extended family. Our values, service and respect, kindness and compassion, love of neighbor, citizenship, acting rightly, doing one’s best, working hard, being honest. At the end of our lives when Julie and I are in heaven, we will pass along some of our possessions to them through our will as well. We have also passed on our faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, it is at the top of our list. We want our children to always trust in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. We want them to follow Him, serve Him, and shine for Him. I’m glad to say they do. It all began at the baptismal font when they were infants. We promised God we’d do our best, and it continues even today as they are grown and have their own children. We love being grandparents and want to pass the same spiritual legacy onto our grandchildren as well. After all, without Jesus Christ they would be lost now and for eternity. They’d be lacking in the fruit of the Spirit – joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control – which enriches one’s life and their relationships with others. Without Jesus they’d be living without knowing God’s true purpose for their lives. As followers of Jesus, we were taught by our parents who modeled the importance of parenting. It is a sacred trust from God. He loves our kids even more than we do and wants them to follow Jesus Christ. Someone once said, The home is God’s built-in training facility to relay the truth of Jesus diligently and consistently. So how does one get a grip on this high, challenging calling called parenting? Today, we read the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to young Timothy about his Jewish mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, who took their calling quite seriously. They were a real blessing to Timothy, and they passed on some good things to him. Good deposits. Of course, they loved Timothy and saw to his physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. Family was an important part of the Jewish culture. We read about the importance of family in the books of Psalms and Proverbs. The Old Testament has many stories about family – parents raising their kids, taking care of them, and loving them. Eunice and Lois also saw to Timothy’s spiritual needs. They introduced him to Jesus Christ and raised him in the faith. They wanted him to know and follow Jesus and to have eternal life. They recognized the value of the Christian faith from their own experience. Lois and Eunice had become believers in Jesus in the early days of Christianity when they heard the Good News of Jesus during Paul’s first visit to their area. They lived in a place called Lystra. They were Galatians. Eunice was married to a non-Jewish man. We don’t know if he even had a faith life. Paul, on his second visit, was so impressed with young Timothy and his faith in Jesus that he took him on his mission trip and mentored him. Timothy eventually became Paul’s right hand man in his ministry and spent many a night, I suppose, in jail with Paul. When they’d enter communities and share the Good News of Jesus, they would often be arrested. Timothy learned what it meant to deny oneself, pick up the cross and follow Jesus. Paul came to love him like a son. Years later when Timothy was leading his own church, Paul wrote him a letter of encouragement. He had heard Timothy was having troubles, and he wanted to...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+11:28-30 (Matthew 11:28-30) Let me tell you a tragic story. When I was younger, I owned a beautiful little 1965 VW bug. My grandfather gave me the car my senior year of college in 1976. It had been his for many years – it only had 30,000 miles on it. I loved that car, and for many years I took good care of it and it took good care of me. About nine years later when our firstborn arrived, Julie and I decided we needed to become a one-car family. So I ended up selling it to a neighbor who purchased it for his teenage daughters to drive. They were so excited to get this cute little car! Unfortunately, since I lived across the street from them, I began to notice the car was not being taken care of very well. Little by little I watched it disintegrate before my very eyes as these girls drove it around and mistreated it. One day, when it was parked at the high school, some boys jumped on the side boards and broke them off the side of the car. I noticed dents and scratches. The car looked terrible. Then one day I asked them why they weren’t driving the car. One of them said, “We didn’t know we had to check the oil.” They had burned the engine up. Tragic! I hope those girls learned a valuable lesson – maintenance matters. But maintenance is not just important for cars, it’s also for all kinds of things, including people. The lack of it can cause some major breakdowns in our lives. Our bodies, for instance, need maintenance. They get tired, rundown, and exhausted if we don’t give them proper rest, diet, and exercise. Our minds need maintenance as well. They can get tired when they never turn off. Many of us live with a constant information overload. I came across an article that read, “If you feel overloaded, you’re not crazy – you’re normal. You may feel distracted, frustrated, or half sick because the average office worker gets 220 messages a day in emails, memos, phone calls, interruptions, and advertisements. No wonder a survey of thirteen hundred managers on four continents found one third of managers suffer from ill health as a direct consequence of stress associated with an information overload.” We find ourselves checking messages on our cell phones all the time – first thing in the morning, last thing at night. I find it gets me more tired because sometimes I get messages late, they bug me, and I find I can’t sleep at night. Facebook is so popular these days. I recently read a story in the newspaper about the effects of facebooking. The American Psychological Association recently released a study on social media use, and its impact on American stress levels. Nowadays 43% of Americans say they check their emails, texts, or social media accounts constantly, and their stress levels are paying the price for it. They’re higher than the average person by several percentage points. People spend an enormous amount of time in front of a computer screen and the television screen with all kinds of junk on, which will take a toll on one’s mind. Finally, our soul needs maintenance. In the early days of Methodism, John Wesley had class meetings, kind of the original small groups. At those meetings, Wesley always had people ask this question of each other, “How is it with your soul?” How would you answer that question? The soul is the deepest part of your whole inner being. It is a combination of your whole person. It’s what makes you, you. Dallas Willard, a respected Christian scholar on soul matters, says, “The human soul seeks to combine our will, our mind, and body into an integral whole person. It seeks to connect us with other people, with creation, and with God himself who made us to be rooted in Him the way a tree is rooted by a life-giving stream.” Our soul has the capacity to pull together all our parts into a whole life. It’s something like a program that runs a computer – you don’t usually notice it until it gets messed up. Our souls crave...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/ephesians/passage/?q=ephesians+1:2-8 (Ephesians 1:2-8) Every year, many people visit Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota to be at the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River. It’s only a little trickle stream, but as it flows toward Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, it becomes a wide river, a powerful flowing river of current. Likewise, the cross of Jesus Christ is the beginning point of the blood-red river of God’s grace, which flows to you and me, and to all the world for all eternity that we might be forgiven and reconciled into a relationship with the living God. When I was a seven-year-old boy, the youngest of four sons born to Oscar and Viola Laaveg, we were boating one day on Clear Lake, Iowa. We had a 14′ maiden boat with a forty-horse, big twin Evinrude pushing it. When we, as a family of six, traveled in that boat across the water, I don’t think we had more than a two-inch clearance from the side of the boat to the water. We had many fun times in the boat. At the end of the day, it was time to load the boat onto the trailer. The car my father owned to pull the boat and trailer was a ‘63 Belair Chevy with 3 on the tree. My brother, Joel, and I were in the car. I was behind the steering wheel messing around. I had moved the stick shift out of gear and into neutral and was pretending to drive. As I pulled the parking brake lever, the car swiftly began to roll down the incline ramp into the water. My dad yelled “Hit the breaks! Hit the breaks!” but by the time my little foot found the brake pedal, my head was underwater and the car was floating, all four tires off the ground. It was too late. My dad had to call a tow truck to pull the whole mess out of the water. I remember watching as the tow truck hooked up to the car. My dad put his arm around my shoulders and said, “It’s okay. We can fix this.” In every person’s life are moments where we’ve inadvertently, foolishly, or rebelliously pulled the parking brake off and rolled into a mess. We get underwater and can’t fix it. Everybody needs forgiveness. This is why God offers us mercy and grace in the name of Jesus. In the Old Testament, He established a system of sacrifice to offer mercy and grace – the sacrifice of lambs and goats. Mercy is pardon given, even though punishment is deserved. Grace is the undeserved, unmerited favor and blessing, love of God for us. In the Old Testament system of sacrifice, God established a way for atoning sacrifice to be made for the forgiveness of sins. A sacrifice is something precious offered for a reason. Atonement is the satisfaction for a committed offense. God said, “The life of the creature is in the blood.” Sacrifice is my gift to make atonement at the altar, says the Lord. Blood makes atonement for your life. Throughout the entire Old Testament covenant time, God’s people would worship on the Day of Atonement called Yom Kippur. Once a year the high priest would take two male goats. He would sacrifice one and carry the blood into the holy of holies. Then he would sprinkle the blood on the cover of the ark of the covenant (called the mercy seat) for atonement for the sins of all God’s people. He would then take the second goat to the edge of the village and put his hand on its head to transfer the guilt and shame of all the people. The goat would travel off into the wilderness as a scapegoat bearing guilt and shame away. All of this foreshadowed the death and resurrection of Jesus for us. When Jesus came on the scene, John the Baptist looked at Him coming for baptism in the Jordan River and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Many passages in the New Testament make the connection between an atoning sacrifice by bloodshed, the forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation between God’s people and Him. We find Jesus’ words: • “This is the blood of the covenant poured out for you for the forgiveness of your sins” (Matthew 26:28). In today’s text
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/john/passage/?q=john+20:19-31 (John 20:19-31) Mother was busy cooking supper in the kitchen and asked her five-year-old son to go into the pantry to get a can of tomato soup. The little boy was afraid of the dark and didn’t want to go in there. He pleaded his case, “Mommy, I’m scared.” Mother responded, “Johnny, be a big brave boy. Just walk in and get it. I need it right away for this food I am preparing.” Johnny repeated his fear, “Mommy, I’m too scared to go in there by myself.” So his mother used a different approach. “It’s okay. Jesus will be in there with you. Now go and get mother the soup.” Johnny went to the door and opened it slowly. When he peeked inside, it was dark and his hands trembled. But then an idea popped into his little head. “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me a can of tomato soup?” It is difficult at times to believe Jesus is “in there.” It’s not unusual for us to go through moments and seasons of frustration in our lives and even have doubts in our walk of faith. I’m sure many of you can identify with the words a man once spoke to Jesus, “I believe. Help my unbelief.” A variety of reasons exist for this kind of struggling. It might be despair over situations that are overwhelming us. It might be a sense that the world is dark, threatening, out of control, and filled with pain and evil. It may be disappointment over the way life has turned out for you. You looked to God for answers, but He didn’t respond the way you had hoped. Perhaps it’s physical and emotional suffering you or a loved one is going through. Maybe your peers are skeptical, cynical, and unbelieving, which can cause a person to struggle with faith. The question is, What do you do with those moments, those seasons? How can you get a grip on your faith? We have a story before us today from the Gospel of John, which I have found to be helpful. First, notice the resurrection story is a Good News story announcing that Jesus is alive! He was dead, but now He is showing Himself to be alive to those disciples in the upper room. He has been transformed, able to go through locked doors and suddenly appear to His disciples. He took away their fears and gave them peace as He showed them His hands and side so they could know He was the same one who was crucified on the cross, but is now alive. He came to assure them of His forgiveness for running out on Him. He also gave them an important commission – to tell the Good News to the world so all might believe and be saved. It is a good news story. Good news happens in the first half of the story. However, Thomas wasn’t there. He had withdrawn from the fellowship of the others and didn’t experience the risen Jesus. We don’t know why he wasn’t in the Upper Room. We can surmise some reasons. From past mention of him in John’s Gospel, we know Thomas had a melancholy personality. He was a glass half-empty instead of half-full type of guy, prone to look for the worst. He didn’t hesitate to question Jesus when he didn’t understand. Perhaps Thomas was feeling disappointed and even a bit angry as he grieved over the death of Jesus. He had such high hopes. He had followed this guy with his whole life. Now those hopes had been dashed. Where were you, God? he might’ve questioned. Thomas could have been feeling a bit guilty. He’d run out on Jesus and deserted Him in His hour of need. Maybe Thomas felt despair. He had seen the worst in human behavior from the people who destroyed Jesus. Such darkness and sinfulness can give a person a sense of hopelessness for the world. Perhaps Thomas had just simply given up. I must have been wrong about Jesus. Surely you can empathize with him. When things go wrong and it’s too much to bear, we find ourselves wanting to run off sometimes, or curl up into a little ball to grieve and lick our wounds alone. We isolate ourselves and stay away from worship. We steer clear of others not wanting people to...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+28:1-10 (Matthew 28:1-10) Happy V-Day! I’m not talking about Valentine’s Day. I’m not talking about Victory Day as we remember it with World War II. Today I am talking about Easter. Easter is our V-Day. Easter is not about bunnies or bonnets or bonbons. Easter is about victory. It is when Jesus rose victoriously over the power of death. Christ has risen! He is risen indeed! He was dead. I mean really dead! He was crucified on a cross and suffered a horrible, excruciating death. He was stabbed with a spear to make certain He was dead and laid in a rich man’s tomb. Still, death could not hold Him, for three days later He showed up alive. Matthew lays out the evidence in our Easter reading for today. First, there are the women who were the first witnesses to the resurrection. Women in those days counted for very little in Roman, Jewish, and Greek circles. They couldn’t testify in a court of law; they were more considered to be goods and possessions. They were discounted people of society. If the story of the resurrection were to be fabricated, women would be good witnesses. But this is how convinced Matthew was of the truth of the resurrection. He didn’t change a detail. It’s just like God to have two women be the first witnesses of His Son’s resurrection. God is consistent. Jesus was born in an obscure province in a stable, raised in a town people made fun of. “What good can come out of Nazareth?” they’d say. He worked as a carpenter. He died on a cross – a place associated with God’s curse. And now this? Of course! Only God could have dreamed up something so remarkable. We have the evidence of the empty tomb. Despite the guards and the huge stone covering the tomb, it was open and empty. The body was gone. No questions concerning Jesus as to the emptiness of the tomb. Then there is His appearance. The disciples saw Jesus on the way back to town. They touched Him and heard His voice. We also have the evidence of transformed lives. The disciples’ perspectives were totally changed. They moved from mourning and fear to joy and confidence. We have the fulfilled predictions. Jesus predicted His death and resurrection three times, like the angel reminded the women at the tomb. “He is raised, just as He said.” There is the commissioning. The women were told to go and tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. By the end of the book of Matthew, the disciples were commissioned to go and tell the world and make disciples of all nations. This is not something the disciples came up with on their own. This event began a worldwide movement for which they actually laid down their lives. Would you lay down your life for an untruth? The Good News of Jesus spread. Here we are today, two thousand years later. How could it be if it were not true? For me, the case is closed. I hope it is with you, too. Christ is risen! He defeated death. As Paul says, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. ‘Where death is your victory, where oh death is your sting?’ Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:15-57). The cheerleaders’ chant from my old athletic days is ours today: V-I-C-T-O-R-Y. Victory, Victory that’s our cry! V-Day could also stand for Vindication Day, for Jesus was vindicated on Easter. His resounding message to His opponents, His disciples, and the world that didn’t understand Him was, God is strong! When the stone was rolled away and the risen Lord stepped back into the world from the tomb, God said to us, Jesus is the Savior of the world. He’s My Son. He’s the One you want to be trusting. Now, let’s get personal. Jesus is the Savior you and I really need. Looking back at Scripture, we find we have a severe problem called sin. It carries terrible consequences. Our sinfulness, our rebellion against God, leads to a physical and spiritual death, for the wages of sin is death. Paul tells us in Ephesians...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsva/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+7:13-29 (Matthew 7:13-29) We have many choices and decisions to make in life. Columbia University recently did a study and found that the average person makes about 70 decisions every day. That’s 25,500 decisions a year. In a 70-year lifespan, it is 1,788,500 choices we’re making. We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made! We are created in God’s image. We have a mind with which to think. We are eternal beings. We have a will, which enables us to make choices. What a wonderful thing that is! Think of all the choices we make: Where we live, who we will marry, which school we will attend, and what our career choices will be. In today’s passage, it turns out that we have an important choice to make in regard to our relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is now at the end of His sermon on the mount. After He announced the kingdom of God was at hand and called people to repentance, He preached this sermon to a huge crowd and to His disciples. We call it the Sermon on the Mount. In that sermon, He describes kingdom-of-God living about Christian character, the way of being blessed by God, and the influence we can have in our world being salt and light. He is describing inner righteousness (not just external righteousness), but living from within in a right relationship with God. He talked about religious piety (how we pray, fast, and give) and our priorities (seeking first His kingdom). And He talked about our relationships and how we treat other people. Now His sermon is drawing to a close. The main body of it has been given and the instructions have been laid out for all to hear. Notice how Jesus ends it. It turns out He wasn’t preaching for applause or just reflection, but for a decision. Every good sermon, I’ve learned along the way, goes for a verdict. It ends with a motion to act upon what has been preached. Jesus did this in the final section of His presentation. He gave us two options – only two. Not a third. No compromise. No middle of the road here. You have to choose between the two. Jesus lays out the choices in this way. First, know this. We have two ways to go – two gates, two roads. One way is very broad. Jesus describes it as easy. It is popular and requires little of those who choose this way. It holds moral laxity and no boundaries of thought or conduct, no need for repentance or change. You can just follow the desires of your own heart. Little is required of you. The other gate is narrow. It’s not the most popular choice. It’s difficult, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Its boundaries have been given by divine revelation, by God’s Word. God deems what is true and good behavior. This is not an easy path, for no one likes to be considered narrow by others, even though the truth is narrow. We know 2+2 = 4, no question about it. The truth is narrow. Jesus commands us to enter the narrow way. Why? Because each way has its own destination. The broad way leads to destruction, the narrow way leads to life. Jesus says to choose the narrow way, which is Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus goes on to describe two trees – a bad tree, which bears bad, inedible fruit, and a good tree, which gives good fruit. He is actually warning us about false teachers within the Church. They may seem to have all the answers. They are very likable. They are charismatic, and their teachings are easy to swallow. They are dangerous though and deceptive as wolves. They are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are like bad trees, which yield bad fruit. They say things like, Live for number one. You have to take care of you. It’s all about you. It doesn’t matter what you believe; all roads lead to God. You can earn your eternal life. These people are dangerous to your spiritual health. Jesus says they can lead you to ruin. Instead, stick with good teachers who cling to God’s Word and teachings. Good teachers pass on truths like those from the Sermon on...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+7:1-12 (Matthew 7:1-12) In Christian circles, we sometimes talk of the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because it is important. There is no greater thing than placing one’s trust in Christ and following Him. It means life eternal. However, being a follower of Jesus Christ is not just an individualistic, but also a community affair. We are called into a Christian community, such as a church interrelationship, with new brothers and sisters in Christ. But we are also called to relate to the society around us as well. The follower of Jesus Christ is meant to live in a network of relationships. We are not to be isolationists. How, then do we best conduct ourselves in this network of relationships as citizens of God’s kingdom? That is the question being answered today as we continue our study of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. So far in this message, Jesus has been describing life in the kingdom of God. He describes Christian character, Christian influence, Christian righteousness, piety, and priorities. In today’s reading, He talks of the Christian’s relationships. Though these little paragraphs at the beginning of Matthew 7 appear to be unrelated to each another, there actually is a common thread running throughout this section – relationships. Jesus here instructs His disciples, His followers, on how to relate to people in our various networks. First, listen to what He says about relating to people in the church – your sisters and brothers in Christ. “Do not judge so that you may not be judged.” Jesus knows the Christian community will never be perfect. We are both saints and sinners as we follow Jesus. We have a tendency to step on one another’s toes and sometimes misbehave. Ego, pride, and selfishness still rear their ugly heads in us, cause pain to others, and create tensions in our relationships in the church. So how do we behave in response to a fellow member who has misbehaved or who has sinned against us? Jesus knows how easy it is for us to judge and criticize. It makes us feel like big shots, just a little more spiritually together than others. But He says in response, “Don’t judge, for by the judgment you make so will you be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you receive.” What does He mean by that? Modern-day people today love to say, “Don’t judge me,” especially when they’re doing something they know is probably wrong. But I wonder, is this really what Jesus meant when He said that? Was it meant to be used this way? Was He saying that we ought not to exercise our mental critical faculties to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral. Did He intend for us to do away with the law courts in our society? Was He recommending turning a blind eye, ignoring the immoral or hurtful behavior? No. He’s not saying that at all. In fact, we were created in God’s image with the ability to make value judgments. To suspend our critical faculties would be an absolute contradiction of how God made us and why he made us. We know from other places in Scripture that Jesus urges us to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, and to act accordingly. He tells us when someone sins against us, we should go to them and try to fix things, make them right. So what does Jesus mean when He says judge not? As we examine this text a little closer, we find He is actually talking against the spirit of harsh condemnation and criticism, being a fault finder who is negative and destructive toward other people and prone to write people off. He basically points out in this passage that this kind of behavior is sinful, because you are taking the place of God as judge. That is God’s job. Only God knows the whole story on a person – their heart, their motives. Scripture says man looks at the activity; God looks at the heart. Only He has the authority to condemn and judge. Jesus...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/romans/passage/?q=romans+5:1-5 (Romans 5:1-5) The famous American evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, told a story about a Christian woman who was always bright, cheerful, and optimistic, even though she was confined to her room because of an illness. This woman lived in an attic apartment on the fifth floor of an old, rundown hotel. A friend decided to visit her one day and brought along another woman, a person of great means, who was used to nice things in life. Since there was no elevator, the two ladies began the long climb up to the fifth floor. When they reached the second floor, the well-to-do woman commented, “What a dark and filthy place.” Her friend replied, “It’s better, higher up.” When they arrived at the third floor landing, the remark was made, “Things look even worse here.” Again the reply, “It’s better, higher up.” When they reached the attic level where they found the bedridden saint of God, she had a beautiful smile on her face radiating a joy that filled her heart. Although the room was clean and there were flowers on the windowsill, the wealthy visitor couldn’t contain herself about the stark surroundings and blurted out, “It must be very difficult for you to be here like this.” Without a moment’s hesitation, the homebound woman replied, “It will be better, higher up.” She was in a valley, a tough stage of life, but she was not looking at her circumstances or the temporary things of this world. Her eyes of faith were fixed on the eternal. She had found the secret of true satisfaction and contentment. Where did this homebound woman get her strength? It was from Jesus. She knew and believed the Spirit of Jesus was always with her and within her, and she clung to the promises of God’s Word. Therefore, she was filled with hope, with courage, with peace, and with joy! Have you ever had a time in your life journey where faith and suffering existed side-by-side? You’ve heard the saying, “This world is not our home.” For every believer in God – who has given us Jesus Christ and filled us with the Spirit – this resonates as profoundly true. We are only visiting this planet; this world is not our home. As Paul writes, “Our citizenship is in heaven.” John Dunn, a well-known poet, once wrote, “No need to send to sea for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.” The beloved Psalm 23 says: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Yet faith in an all-powerful, all-loving God creates an expectation for God’s blessings to come to us, and when we endure times of suffering, it can create a faith crisis. We might wrongly begin to think about God like a lucky rabbit’s foot or a genie in a bottle. The truth is God can richly bless us. Even though in this broken world, we have suffering. In more than three decades of being a pastor in Christ’s church, I’ve never known a person or a family who hasn’t experienced both euphoric great joy, as well as times of deep sorrow; moments of accomplishment and tremendous victory, and periods of great struggle and disappointment. Suffering for any of us, as human beings in this imperfect world, can be the result of our own careless choices. The cause-and-effect relationship of what we decide to do – how it determines an income into our future and impacts the people around us – is undeniable. Sometimes our suffering comes only because life in this world is not always fair. We might suffer though innocent. We might experience natural disaster, be it an accident, or have the sinful deeds of other people affect us adversely. We might experience physical pain, illness, accidents that have a permanent effect. Some of us have lost loved ones and stood by an open grave. Worse yet, some have lost a precious little child when the potential was still so significant. Others have gone through stormy relationships that never resolved. We lived in the dissonance and the fighting. Emotionally we might experience great...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/rsva/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+6:19-33 (Matthew 6:19-33) What are your priorities in life? You might answer God, family, or work. There are a variety of answers. We all have priorities – those things that are most important to us. They matter to us. They inspire our behavior and inform our decision-making in life. Some priorities are good, some are not so good. Perhaps you’ve heard someone tell another person, Your priorities are getting way out of whack! It happens. Imagine you have a freshman college student who is enjoying everything at school. It’s his first time away from home, and he’s making new friends. He is in a band and developing a very social life. He’s out every night of the week, but missing classes and not studying. When he comes home for Christmas, his grades are terrible. What are you probably going to ask him? What are your priorities? A good education or just having a good time? You better get your head on straight! Listen to this news story out of Texas: It was a 99° September day in San Antonio when 10-month-old baby girl was accidentally locked inside a parked car by her aunt. Frantically the mother and aunt ran around the auto in near hysteria while a neighbor attempted to unlock the car with a clothes hanger. Soon the infant was turning purple and had foam on her mouth. It had become a life-or-death situation. Suddenly a wrecker driver named Fred Arriola arrived on the scene. He grabbed a hammer and smashed the back window of the car to set the little girl free. Was he heralded a hero? He said, “The lady was mad at me because I broke the window! I just thought, ‘What’s more important, the baby or the window?’” Sometimes our priorities get out of order, and a guy like Fred Arriola reminds us of what’s really important. Well, today we find Jesus addressing the whole matter of priorities. He’s telling us that, as a follower of Christ, the central priority in life is God Himself. This reading leaves no doubt about the importance of putting God first. Jesus again is telling us that we, as citizens of the kingdom of God, are to be different from the world around us. We have a different set of priorities. Some things matter more to us than to others. God knows us well. He knows we have a tendency to become distracted or let different things take over in our lives, like money, possessions, achievements, and popularity. Jesus is pointing out to us today that we have some important choices to make and to keep regarding priorities. For instance, we have two kinds of investments in life. One is lasting, and the other is temporary and corruptible. We can choose to store earthly treasures or heavenly treasurers. Earthly treasures are not like a savings account or insurance. Jesus is talking about the selfish pursuit of the accumulation of goods, hoarding and seeking security for oneself, trying to get it all. He’s talking about the attitude of the one with the most toys wins. Jesus says these are temporary things with no lasting value. You can’t take them with you. However, heavenly treasures – investing in yourself and pursuing things that really do last – are things you can actually take with you. It is the development of Christlike character. Charity, witness, giving away resources to God’s causes, and making a difference in the name of Christ – these things, Jesus says, are things that last. No one can steal them away. Then He makes this interesting statement. It’s a proverb of sorts: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus is pointing out a fact of life: our interests follow our investments. For instance, if you invest in a certain stock, you will probably follow that stock to see how it’s doing. You’re interested. When you invest in God and His cause, your focus will be on God. Jesus is talking common sense here. If you are interested in keeping your eye on God and developing a growing relationship with...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+6:7-13 (Matthew 6:7-13) It has been said the greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. How true! Prayer is one of the most important things a citizen of the kingdom of God can be doing, because it is our lifeline to God, our source of strength. It is our guidance along the way. You can’t help but notice, as you read through the Gospels, that Jesus was always praying – before the day started and even when the day ended. Yet many of us struggle with fitting prayer into our lives. Perhaps because we are not sure how to pray. Maybe we’ve been disappointed by prayer. Maybe we have the wrong idea about prayer. I came across this letter from a child. Dear God, I’d like these things: a new bicycle, a #3 chemistry set, a dog, a movie camera, and a first-baseman’s glove. If I can’t have them all, I would like to have most of them. Yours truly, Eric PS. I know there is no Santa Claus. Some of us have our struggles with prayer. Today we’re going to let the expert – Jesus, our Master – teach us – His apprentices – about authentic prayer, which our heavenly Father loves. First of all, we notice Jesus is emphasizing the importance of prayer. He says when you are praying, not if you are praying. He assumes we will be people of prayer as His followers. Prayer is vital. Jesus tells us not to be mechanical with our prayer time like the pagans. They use all kinds of empty words and phrases in hopes of getting the gods’ attention. It’s kind of treating God like a genie. Rub the lamp, say the right formula, and you’ll get what you want. Prayer isn’t a way to manipulate or impress God to get Him to do something for you. It is a time to commune with Him, to develop a relationship. Let your words be sincere, thoughtful, and from the heart. You don’t have to pester God to get His attention. You don’t have to gravel or flail yourself. You don’t have to bite your lip or groan and moan in order to show God you really mean business. If one of my kids ever called me and said, Daddy, please, please, please, I beg of you. I plead with you to listen to my need, I’d say, Timeout! I don’t like the underlying assumption here. You don’t have to go through all those gymnastics. I love you. Nothing is more important to me than you. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than meeting your needs. So we come to God with a thoughtful attitude. Jesus then gives us a framework for our prayer time with God. He says, “Pray then in this way.” You and I know the prayer as the Lord’s Prayer. Some have pointed out in the past that it would be better to call it the disciples’ prayer, since it asks for forgiveness, and Jesus never sinned. It really doesn’t matter what you call it. Some question if we should say it in rote, or use it as a framework. I say either way. We can say it as a whole if we’re not doing it thoughtlessly, on automatic pilot. Jesus also seems to have given it to us to use as a framework, a pattern in our own prayer. When we approach God, He tells us to “Pray then in this way . . .” So let’s look at the petitions Jesus gives us. Our Father . . . As you approach God in prayer, do so with a certain attitude. Say, “Father!” It seems to intimate ultimate love. Martin Luther picks up on this in his Small Catechism. “What God means is pray to Him with complete confidence, just as children speak to their loving father.” In heaven. He’s not talking about a location or a zip code, but God’s status. He is the sovereign Majesty of God with ultimate power over this world. He is able to do all things. So, with this opening, we approach God with confidence and reverence. Then we talk to God about His person. Hallowed be your name. We are expressing our concern for God’s name, His character. Of course, God’s personal name is already hallowed, which means holy. But in praying, Hallowed be Your...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/passage/?q=matthew+6:1-7;+matthew+6:16-18 (Matthew 6:1-7, 16-18) A new attorney had just opened up his office. On his first day of practice, he saw the outer door opening as he was settling in, and he thought, Oh, good. A new client! I have to impress him. So he picked up his telephone and said to the imaginary person on the other end of the line, “No, I’m very sorry. I can’t take your case – not even for $1,000. I’m just too busy.” Then he replaced the receiver and looked up at the person in the doorway. “And now, what can I do for you?” he asked briskly. “Nothing, really,” was the reply. “I’m just here to connect your telephone.” Oops! We laugh at a story like that because we love to see showoffs get humbled. No one appreciates a person who is constantly looking for attention or trying to impress others, including God. This is what Jesus is telling His disciples in today’s passage. He counsels them to not be religious showoffs. Listen to the opening statement again. “Beware,” which means take caution. A warning sign. “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” The word “piety” is talking about your spiritual practices, your devotional life, whether it is worship or prayer. The word used here means righteousness in the Greek, which is appropriate. In the first part of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is talking to His disciples about exercising a moral and ethical righteousness as citizens of the kingdom of God, which is different from the world’s standards. Now we see Jesus talking about religious righteousness – piety. He tells them, Don’t be religious showoffs, putting on a performance to impress other people. He actually picks out three important practices of the Jewish faith: giving alms (such as charitable giving), praying, and fasting. Regarding alms, Jesus says, “So whenever you give alms, do not sound the trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so they may be praised by others.” Notice, first of all, Jesus says whenever you give, not if you give. It sounds to me like He expects His followers to be generous givers, helping the poor. He says, Don’t be like the hypocrites. The word “hypocrite” means literally means an actor, a spiritual pretender of sorts. Don’t be like those actors. They blow their own horn for everyone to see and praise as they give gifts of mercy. They are showing off, looking for the applause of others. We shouldn’t be too hard on those hypocrites, because we also like to blow our own horn a little bit now and then. We like to see our names listed with things we’ve financially supported or have people recognize us for something good we have done for someone else. We like to be recognized for our charitable work. My college magazine even ranks its big donors in each publication. When it comes to praying, Jesus says, Don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand on the street corners or in the synagogue to be seen by others. The Jews, you see, were big on prayer. They had set times of the day for prayers: 9:00 a.m., noon, and 3:00 p.m. When they got out of bed and when they went to bed, they would pray the great Shema, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, and mind.” If a Jewish person wanted to pick up a reputation for being holy and pious, a person of prayer, they would go down to the marketplace to the steps of the synagogue, and when the hour strikes, start praying. As they raised their arms, a great audience would see them perform. Behind this kind of piety lurk pride and ego. What we are really wanting is the applause of others around us and for people to say, Look how devout he is. I wish I had that kind of discipline in my life. We know from other parts of the Gospel that Jesus was actually describing the Pharisees...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/ezekiel/passage/?q=ezekiel+36:26-29 (Ezekiel 36:26-29a) In physical life, emotional life, relational life, and spiritual life the heart is absolutely essential. February is often spoken of as the month of love. Because of Valentine’s Day, we emphasize love between men and women in a romantic sense, but it’s a good month for us to remember all expressions of love, matters of the heart. In I John 4:7, 8 it says, “Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” The heart is essential to the expression of love in human life. A song in a musical says, “You gotta have heart. Miles and miles and miles of heart.” Our heart is physically critical – pumping blood in our circulation systems. The heart is vital to good health, to strength of energy, to stamina. No wonder the Bible uses the term “cardia” (translated heart) more than one thousand times. The heart is our emotional center ranging from joy to sorrow, from turmoil and inner storm to peace, from feeling troubled inside to rejoicing, from be filled with love to being consumed with selfish ambition and lust. We might be filled with fear or have a deep trust of the heart. We might be full of pride or humility. We might be discouraged to lose heart or encouraged to take heart. People speak of the heart as the seat of our desire, the source of our passions. It might be envy or lust. If the passion is directed to the One who gave us life – God – people would say, I seek the Lord my God with all my heart. How is your heart today? The heart is a place of understanding, wisdom, and insight. It is also spoken of as our moral center. When Peter preached on Pentecost Day, he talked about how the sinfulness of humanity has caused the death of Jesus, the Son of God, on the cross. Scripture says the people were “cut to the heart.” They had a conviction of their responsibilities, their sinfulness, and they asked Peter, “What should we do?” Peter responded, “Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.” The heart is important to our relationship with God. Jesus once said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” As I prepared to share this message, I read an article by Mark DeJesus who wrote, “8 Signs You Have a Broken Heart.” The first sign he listed was someone has an untrusting approach to relationships. All too often we can have promises made that are violated. Somebody might abandon us, and as a result of people’s lies and deception, we have difficulty trusting in relationships. Another sign we might have a broken heart is that we have unrelenting struggles with fear and anxiety and worry. We’re just paralyzed by those fears because we’ve been hurt too often in the past. The third sign that your heart is broken is you have a hard time processing love, either in the giving of love or the receiving of love from someone when it’s offered to you. Again, almost as a way to protect our emotional vulnerability, we shut off the spigot of our love and we don’t give it or allow it to penetrate our inner soul. Another sign that our heart might be broken is if we react in a volatile way, especially a dominant feeling of anger. It’s like we’ve been hurt so often, disillusioned so often, that it is our immediate response. The fifth thing that DeJesus said is, “You have a broken heart if your body begins to break down.” He quotes Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good like medicine for the soul, but a broken heart dries up the bones.” Have you ever met someone who is seemingly healthy in every way except for the fact that they have been through some emotional trauma and, as a result of comprehensive physical health, was suffering? Often our hearts are broken when we are stuck in dysfunctional patterns of life. We may even find those patterns of behavior to be undesirable and unhealthy, yet we still continue
Matthew 4:23-25 Do you remember your first day of school? I remember feeling nervous and unsure of what to expect, looking at the teacher and wondering if she was going to be nice and fun. I remember feeling a little separation anxiety from my home and my mom. I remember heading off to college when I was older. As I rode the train from Montana to my school in Iowa 1,000 miles from home, I was filled with excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. I was leaving behind family, friends, and familiar surroundings of home. Those first days were really something! In today’s reading, we find the first followers of Jesus beginning a new adventure – their first day of class on fishing for people for God. Jesus had called them promising to train them on how to fish for people. They dropped what they were doing, answered the call, and went with Him. I’ve always wondered how those disciples must have felt as they set off from the familiar to go with Jesus. Were they nervous? Were they excited? What was going through their minds? While we can’t really know the answers, we do know what their training encompassed and what they experienced right off the bat. For instance, Jesus didn’t take them to a classroom; He took them on the road all around the territory of Galilee (70 x 40 miles), which involved a lot of walking. He went to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to Him. The disciples watched Him do a lot of proclaiming (preaching) wherever they went as He boldly announced with authority that Good News had arrived! I imagine that as He told this good news, Jesus was smiling and feeling confident, because this really was good news! It was the best news these people would ever hear. It was the Good News God’s people had long been waiting for – and now it was happening. God’s kingdom was arriving in Jesus. He was setting up His rule over the world. Now there is a hope for the future. God really does care about us! is the message those people were hearing from Jesus. The disciples must have also noticed that Jesus’ preaching included an appeal to respond to this news with repentance and belief. It needed to be acted upon. Not only did Jesus’ followers watch Him preach in the open air, but they also found themselves in the synagogues and various villages. He taught about Old Testament promises from the Law, Prophets, and the Psalms – such as, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim, from Psalm 61. Old Testament prophecy was being fulfilled that very day through Jesus as He revealed God’s plan through the Scriptures. The disciples also witnessed Jesus do many acts of compassion as He met people’s needs. He healed lepers, sick kids, the dying, the paralyzed, those with epilepsy and all kinds of human pains and tragedy, even the demon possessed. Jesus served them all. He had a big heart for them, and when He saw them, He had compassion on them. The disciples also observed “God surprises” as they traveled with Jesus. People would come to Jesus who were considered unclean and uncomfortable to be around. Non-Jews from the Decapolis, Syria, and beyond the Jordan came. Jesus didn’t turn them away, but instead received them, shared the good news with them, and even served them with His healings. Finally, through their time with Jesus, the disciples learned that kingdom work is hard work; it requires a real commitment. They didn’t do much sitting around. During that first campaign tour of Galilee, Jesus was constantly dealing with lots of people, which is tiring. He attended to a very large population. Estimates judge the population figures of those days in the region where Jesus was touring at more than 300,000 people in more than 200 villages. Even if He reached two villages per day, it would’ve taken Him three months without a break to reach the entire area. And the encounters weren’t always pleasant. They would deal with questioners and critics. I can tell you from personal experience that preaching and teaching– even
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+4:18-22 (Matthew 4:18-22) It has been said that the ultimate issue in the universe is leadership. Who you follow and what directs your life is the single most important thing about you. Everyone follows someone or something. The question is, Who are you following? In today’s passage, we see Jesus beginning His kingdom ministry. He is pulling together His team. He goes to the fishermen by the Sea of Galilee – Peter, Andrew, James, and John – and says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” What did He mean exactly with this invitation: “Follow me”? I can tell you what He didn’t mean. He wasn’t talking about a purely intellectual exercise, like following someone’s story in a newspaper, or like a spectator following someone’s progress. He’s not really talking about simply believing, like following a specific philosophy, or following someone on Twitter or Instagram. So what did Jesus mean when He told those fishermen to follow Him? First of all, this is a personal invitation, which requires a personal response. “Follow me,” is an invitation to a personal relationship with Jesus and it requires you to take action. “Follow” means, “Come after Me.” Be My follower. Put your future in My hands. He is going to lead from that day forward. One could actually call this scene, of calling those fishermen, an illustration of the repentance Jesus was calling people to when He said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent.” It means to incorporate our life with Him leading and me learning and serving. A biblical scholar named C. Blendinger said something very interesting about the relationship of a follower to the local rabbi in Jesus’ day. “The words, ‘Follow me,’ describe the relationship of a pupil to a teacher of the Torah. The pupil chooses to subordinate himself to a rabbi. He follows him everywhere he goes, learning from him, and above all serving him. The pupil’s obligation to serve is an essential part of learning the Old Testament Law. The goal of all his learning and training is a complete knowledge of the Torah and the ability to practice it in every situation.” This is a little different, when you think about it, from the way some people think about following Jesus. In a strange, twisted sort of way, many have come to believe that Christ follows us and exists to satisfy our demands. This is a distorted perception of Christianity. It poses the power of faith and prayer as instruments designed to get Jesus to serve our impulses for peace and prosperity and sets Christ up as just one more commodity in life that we try to sell to others. Following Jesus really means (as Blendinger says) “to adopt” Jesus as the local rabbi of our lives, so to speak, to sit under His wisdom in order to learn from Him about the heavenly Father and about life with the Father, and to serve Him in every possible way. It means to give Him the highest priority as the supreme relationship of life out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed. It means putting Him at the center. Following Jesus is giving Him the lead, learning from Him, and serving Him. As we watch those disciples live with Jesus those next three years, we discover we have so much to learn about the Father’s love for us, God’s power, faithfulness, and intentions for an individual’s life, what really matters in life, kingdom values, and how to live in faith and obedience. What He has to teach us is priceless. Regarding serving Him, Jesus would later say, “If you are willing to come after me, pick up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24), meaning a willingness to actually lay down one’s life for His cause, leave the old ways behind, and stand up for Him no matter what. It means telling others about what Jesus has done for them at the cross and grave, and calling them to follow Him as well. It is actually trusting Him with your life...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/4-17.html (Matthew 4:17) I guess most pastors can probably remember the first sermon they ever preached. We remember those things that tend to be a bit nerve racking. I remember my first sermon. It was on the David and Bathsheba text in the Old Testament. I talked about sin and grace and forgiveness. I was a nervous wreck, and I think I threw everything into it except the kitchen sink. It was a very long message. I’m reminded of a funny story about a young, inexperienced minister who had been asked to be a supply preacher at a little rural church. He was nervous and excited as he drove out to the church that rainy, cloudy Sunday morning. This would be his first sermon. But when he arrived, he was disappointed to discover only one person there – an old rancher. “The weather is so bad, I guess the people just stayed home!” he surmised. When the young preacher asked the old cowboy if he wanted him to go ahead and preach, the rancher replied, “Well, preacher. I’m not too smart, but if I went out to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I’d still feed him!” So the young preacher started the service. When he got to the sermon, he began preaching and went on for an hour and half! As the old rancher was leaving the sanctuary, the young man asked how he liked the sermon. The cowboy said, “Well, preacher. Let me put it this way: if I went out to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I sure wouldn’t dump the whole load on him!” What we have in today’s scripture text is Jesus’ first sermon. It’s very short. In fact, it’s a one-liner! Actually, in all likelihood, it’s a one sentence summary of His sermon – what preachers call these days – the big idea. The text begins with the phrase, “From that time . . .” This phrase is a hinge statement of sorts announcing a new chapter of Jesus’ life, which is about to kick in. So Matthew says, “From that time . . .” This causes us to look back and ask, From what time? Jesus’ preparation period is now over. He has been baptized by John the Baptist and has gone out into the wilderness to do battle with Satan. John the Baptist has been arrested, and Jesus has moved to Capernaum in Galilee to start his ministry. The table has been set for Him. We’ve also learned from Herod’s attempt to kill the baby Jesus early on, John the Baptist’s arrest, as well as the temptation of Jesus, that this was not a friendly environment in which Jesus was stepping. It was more like a battlefield. As Jesus goes public and begins His ministry, it’s interesting to note what He did on His opening day. It says He “began to preach.” As a preacher, I love that verse! It makes me feel affirmed. The word “preach” is borrowed from the ancient world, and is used to describe a herald from the king to the village. It is an announcement, a command given with authority representing the king. A few verses later, Matthew tells us that Jesus’ preaching attracted great attention and crowds. It got many people very excited. Why, do you suppose? Perhaps it was the content of His message. The subject matter made people’s hearts beat a little faster with anticipation. It was the announcement He made about a kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. Mark puts it this way: “The kingdom of God is near” (1:15) The people of Israel had been waiting a long time for this news. Ancient Jews prayed that God might rule on earth as in heaven one day. They prayed for the enemies of God and of God’s people to be cast down, and a new age begin in their time, as the Old Testament prophets predicted. This thread runs throughout the Old Testament to the New – it is what unifies them. The people have been praying and hoping for the kingdom of God. In fact, during their weekly synagogue services, they would say, “May God establish His kingdom in our lifetime.” So when they heard Jesus preaching about God’s kingdom, their radar antennas when up. Finally! It’s about time! God is going to restore...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/romans/passage/?q=romans+12:1-2 (Romans 12:1-2) Have you ever wished to have the mind of a genius? Someone like Albert Einstein, Mozart, or Leonardo da Vinci? Maybe a politician like Abe Lincoln or Winston Churchill. Maybe Galileo, Plato, or Socrates. At Christmas I was given a book of wisdom by sports coach John Wooden. Great minds, geniuses. I really would like to have the mind of Jesus Christ. The mind is a physical organ – the brain – which directs all bodily functions and movements. It is also our speech. It’s the seat of our intelligence, reason, and logic, our cognitive understanding, our ability to recognize, make judgments. It’s the source of our creativity. The mind sets goals for the human will. It’s not only our consciousness but also our subconscious. It’s where dreams float and memory is stored. It’s the resolve of new commitments. It’s our self-awareness and self-definition. In the application of our minds, we solve problems, gain knowledge, process life experiences, pursue curiosities, and form our personal character. The Bible says, “As a man thinks, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). Aristotle said, “The energy of the mind is the essence of life.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing is at last sacred except the integrity of the mind.” Maybe that is why Mahatma Gandhi said, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet.” American author Mark Twain, with tongue-in-cheek, said, “Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.” Have you lost your mind? As a man thinks, so is he. The Bible speaks about spiritual rebellion as losing our mind or losing our senses. In spiritual rebellion, we live as if there is no God. It is a mindset not only of defiance but also one that journeys away from God as the source of life and our heavenly Father. Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, saw that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a delight to eyes and desired to make one wise. They were seduced into thinking they knew better than God what was best for them. This is the root of spiritual rebellion – when we think we know better than God. We begin to believe the lies of the enemy, which further confuses our minds. In II Corinthians 4:4 we read, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so they do not see the light of the gospel in the glory of Jesus Christ . . .” We then forget our identity. We develop spiritual amnesia and begin to live like orphans. We forget we are children of God, children of our heavenly Father and, like the prodigal in Jesus’ story in Luke 15, we begin to live as if we have no father. Have you lost your mind? I like Jesus’ story in Mark chapter 5 when He encounters the Gerasene demoniac among the tombs. This man is possessed and controlled by evil spirits, but Jesus sets him free. It says that after Jesus sets him free, he is clothed and has been restored to his right mind. That’s why one goes from spiritual rebellion to repentance. The word literally means “a change of mind.” To repent means my mind is now reoriented to accept the way God thinks about life. When the prodigal, on his journey of brokenness, realized he had a heavenly Father, it says he came to his senses. He not only remembered that he had a Father, but also that the heart of his Father was good and full of love. So he decided to go home to his earthly father. This is repentance. We change our mind and begin to think like God thinks. Paul writes in Romans, “By the mercies of God, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice . . . Don’t be conformed to this world, to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (12:1-2). The Greek word is metamorphosis. It’s a process of transformation as our minds are renewed. Then our minds will guide our bodies to offer ourselves continually as a sacrifice to serve the purposes of God. I say it often, “Any dead fish can float downstream.” Have you ever known people who believe the gospel, know their Bibles,
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+4:12-16 (Matthew 4:12-16) Do you enjoy geography? My wife, Julie, is fascinated with it. She loves looking at maps and globes and reading information about other parts of the world – the climate, the physical features of the land, the resources, and the people who live there in their culture. As one reads through the Gospel of Matthew, it appears he is fascinated with geography as well. Geography speaks quite loudly in Matthew’s Gospel and plays a big part. For instance, in chapter 2, we see Matthew giving all kinds of geographical information about Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth. He talks about how those areas fulfilled the hopes of Old Testament prophecies. Geography comes up again in our text for today. After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus moved to Capernaum in Galilee in the territory of Zebulun in the land of Naphtali in the far north of Palestine. It’s named for two of the Hebrew tribes who first entered the Promised Land. We discover some interesting and helpful things as we look at this location where Jesus started His ministry. The ancient historian Josephus tells us this area was known for its fertility. The soil was phenomenal! Therefore, a lot of people went there to farm to participate in the agricultural economy. The area had a dense population – 204 villages with at least 15,000 people in each one. It’s location made it a major trade route between the great nations. People traveled in, through, and around it delivering goods to other parts of the ancient world. Therefore we know it was a mixed population with many Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews). Josephus also described the people as being very open to change and innovation in Galilee. The southern Jews around Jerusalem and Judea despised them and looked down upon them because they had been influenced by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, who had taken over their land. Henceforth, they were considered a little less in standing amongst their Jewish peers. The area, according to Matthew, was considered a place of both moral and spiritual darkness, a very unlikely place to do good ministry. Why wouldn’t Jesus head to Jerusalem instead of this particular geographical location to do His ministry? Matthew tells us why. The move to Capernaum of Galilee was a prophetic fulfillment, so the words spoken by the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. God’s purposes lie behind this move to Capernaum. Listen to these words – “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.” The first thing that jumps out is that this area is called “Galilee of the Gentiles.” It does not mean it was made up of Gentiles, but was surrounded by Gentiles and populated as well with some Gentiles. Right away we get a hint that Jesus is interested in having a relationship with everyone, even non-Jews. Interesting enough, after the resurrection, Jesus met the disciples up north again in Galilee and told them to go make disciples of all nations. He commissioned them to take God’s light to all peoples. What is the spiritual location of the people who populate the area? They are people sitting in darkness, in the region of the shadow of death. It’s important for us to look at this metaphor: darkness. How is the world dark? What does it mean? In the Bible, darkness most often refers to evil and ignorance. It means, first of all, that the world is full of evil, violence, and suffering. Look at what happened, for instance, at the time of the birth of Christ in Matthew chapter 2 when the Wise Men didn’t return to tell Herod about Christ. We see violence, death, grief, abuse of power, homelessness, refugees fleeing oppression, and families being ripped apart. It’s the way the world was, and the way the world is. Another way in...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+4:1-11 (Matthew 4:1-11) I came across a poster a while back that said, “Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.” How true it is! From the beginning of human history, temptation has been a part of living in this world. We only need to look at Genesis chapter 3 to find temptation in God’s perfect world between the serpent and Adam and Eve. We see this scenario play out again and again throughout history and even in our own lives. Temptation. Someone once said, “To a greater or lesser degree, if you are alive then you are tempted.” I came across a funny story about temptation. A minister parked his car in a no parking spot and left a note on the car saying, “I circled around this area ten times and couldn’t find a parking place. I’m going to be late, and so I’m parking here. So, please, forgive us our trespasses.” When the minister returned to his car, he found a citation with a note saying, “I am a police officer. I have gone around this block every day for 10 years, and if I do not give you a ticket, I will lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.” ☺ The truth is, temptation can be a dangerous business. Giving into some temptations like breaking God’s commandments, attempting to run our own life without God’s help, or doubting God’s love for us can be dangerous to our spiritual, emotional and physical health. A while back, I was talking with an alcoholic friend of mine who had fallen off the sobriety wagon. When I asked him what happened, he said, “I tried to do it on my own power without God’s help. I stopped working the program.” I think of a man who came in to see me. He emotionally cheating on his wife and was almost ready to commit the physical act as well. In my counseling with him, it turns out he had left God out of the equation. He was on the verge of destroying his marriage and his family to feed his appetite. Jesus knows what it’s like to be tempted. In the book of Hebrews, for instance, we find this reflection on that truth: “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15). We also see this truth in our text for today. It is near the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. He has just been baptized and affirmed by His heavenly Father – “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” He has been given an understanding of the purpose of His life and the means by which He was to carry it out. He was to be a suffering servant. Immediately following the thrill of His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness – not to the cities to do ministry – but to the wilderness! It is a hot, miserable, desolate place. Jesus was led there to be tempted by the devil. Sometimes the word “test” is used for tempt. Jesus was field-tested before He began His ministry of proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and eventually dying for the sins of the world at the cross. Satan tried to knock Jesus off His game plan in the wilderness. Jesus had fasted for forty days, which is quite a fast! He probably lost about forty pounds. He was weak physically, but strong spiritually as He learned to focus and depend upon God and God’s promise to take care of Him. The devil then approached Jesus, and the battle was on. It is interesting to note the temptations Satan threw in Jesus’ direction to get Him to quit following and trusting God. The first one seemed innocent enough: “If you are the Son of God, feed yourself by turning the stones to bread.” In other words, Satisfy your appetite with the power you have, Jesus. You don’t need God for that. Take care of yourself! Now remember, Jesus hadn’t eaten for forty days; He must have been starving. But Jesus refused. I’m trusting God’s Word. I’m trusting God to provide for Me. The next temptation was to gain popularity with the masses. You can...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/nrsa/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+3:13-17 (Matthew 3:13-17) Two weeks ago we celebrated Jesus Christ’s birth. Today our text moves us ahead thirty years later to Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. We really don’t know much about those earlier years between Jesus’ birth and His baptism. The Gospel writers didn’t seem to think it was important for us know. Luke, however, tells the story of Jesus as a boy being left behind in Jerusalem by Joseph and Mary. When they find Him, He is in the Temple listening and asking questions of the religious experts. Then Luke finishes off that part of Christ’s life by saying Jesus increased in wisdom and years with human and divine favor. We also know Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth, and He worked in a carpenter shop with His father, Joseph. Now, at the age of thirty, we find Jesus coming to the Jordan River to be baptized. One of the things that jumps out at us right away is John’s surprise at Jesus’ request. “You ought to be baptizing me instead!” John said. Actually, many people through the ages have been puzzled by this action on the part of Jesus. Why was Jesus being baptized anyway? He was sinless, right? John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for sin, so it doesn’t seem to make much sense. I think Jesus’ answer to John is helpful. “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Basically, Jesus was saying, This is part of God’s salvation plan. Let’s carry it out. Jesus’ earthly ministry to accomplish the work His Father had sent Him to do officially began that day. Jesus had come to save the world from sin and death, and bring salvation to humankind. This baptism was His anointing ceremony, His commissioning, His inauguration. God presided over it. As Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavens opened, and the Spirit descended upon Him. God said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” If you examine God’s statement closely, you’ll find these words are actually taken from two places in the Old Testament. The first is Psalm 2, which is a song for the anointing of a King in Israel. The second is Isaiah 42:1 where we hear the announcement of the suffering servant of God. God’s announcement after Jesus’ baptism was our Lord’s title and job description – to be a Suffering Servant for the sake of the world. The mission of Jesus, which began that day, culminated three years later on a cross when He announced, “It is finished.” Jesus had fulfilled God’s will. The sinless One had taken our sins upon Himself, suffered our punishment, experienced God’s wrath, and died for us. He paid for our sins at the cross. That chapter in the history of God’s salvation plan was now complete. God raised Him from the grave, and nothing can be added to it. All people may now enter into a personal relationship with God because Jesus has atoned for their sins at the cross. Hallelujah! However, there is another chapter. The mission continues. Let me explain. Jesus did this for us. What will we do in response to this Good News? We are created in the image of God. This means we have a will to say I do (or I don’t) want to get in on God’s salvation plan. God’s mission is not completed in our lives until we have received Jesus Christ. The Gospel writer John reminds us of this in the first chapter of his Gospel when he writes, “He came to his own, but his own received him not. But to those who have received him, he gives the right to become children of God.” In spite of all God has done for us through Jesus Christ, we must receive Him. And so I ask you, have you received Christ? Some might respond, Isn’t that a redundant question? Aren’t all members of the Church those who have received Christ, and aren’t all those who are baptized, saved? The answer to both of those questions is, No, not all people who belong to an organized church are believers in Christ. They are still...
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+2%3A10-18&version=ESV (Hebrews 2:10-18) Merry Christmas. I hope you have a happy new year. I’ve never been sure of what to preach at this particular time of the year – Christmas and New Year’s. It would be easy, I suppose, for me to load a bunch of New Year’s spiritual resolutions on you but that isn’t really Good News to build a life upon. It can come off sounding more like Law than Good News. We could celebrate, the blessings and challenges of the past year, but that would be somewhat like a Thanksgiving message. So instead, I thought maybe now that the emotional part of the Christmas experience is behind us, why not take one last look at the question we have been focusing upon during the weeks leading up to Christmas: What child is this whose birth we just celebrated? The writer of the letter to the Hebrews has a very insightful and encouraging answer for us today. Like news magazines and television shows that use collages and images to remind people of things that have taken place, the book of Hebrews offers a collage of images to help us understand this child named Jesus. The first picture that jumps out at us is, He’s our brother! Listen to this verse, “For the one who sanctifies (cleanses from sin) and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” Jesus is our brother. He became one of us. He is true God, but He’s also true man. He identified Himself with us. As I look at this verse, I finally understand the third verse of “O Holy Night” when it says, “Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease.” I’ve never been comfortable singing the line of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” that goes, “God our Father, Christ our brother . . .” Jesus the Son of God, according to this passage in Hebrews, entered our humanity. He became our brother. He partook of our flesh and blood by becoming one of us. He went through everything we go through. He experienced what we experience in life – even such things as pain, hunger, thirst, tears, loneliness, weariness, disappointments, and temptations. He chose to do life His way – His heavenly Father’s way – instead. Max Lucado wrote a book a few years ago called God Came Near. I like this reflection he used in the book when thinking about Christ’s incarnation: “The phrase ‘I’ve been there,’ is in the chorus of Christ’s theme song. To the lonely, Jesus whispers ‘I’ve been there.’ To the discouraged, Christ nods His head and sighs, ‘I’ve been there.’ He entered into every detail of human life. “Are you poor? Jesus knows how you feel. Are you at the lowest rung of the social ladder? He understands. Ever been taken advantage of? Christ says, ‘I’ve been there, too.’ Have you ever felt like you needed to get away from the pressures and demands? Jesus says, “I’ve been there.” Family tensions? ‘Yes, I’ve been there too.’ Falsely accused? ‘Absolutely!’ The list goes on. ‘I’ve been there,’ Jesus says. Whatever you are facing, Jesus knows how you feel.” I find comfort in the thought that Jesus knows how I feel. He has walked a mile in my shoes. He empathizes with us. When I turn to Him, He understands. This passage tells us that He is like an older brother who doesn’t look down on us or tell us to get lost. Instead, He comes to help us. I’m reminded of a very popular movie from a few years ago entitled “A River Runs Through It.” It’s a true story about two brothers growing up in the beautiful mountains of Montana. The older brother was quiet, studious, and hard-working. He went off to college, got a good job, and was respected in his community. The younger brother was great fun, always in trouble, pushing the envelope on what was acceptable. He had a drinking problem, as well as a gambling problem, and he ended up associating with some guys who got him deeper and deeper into trouble. Finally,...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/passage/?q=john+1:1-16 (John 1:1-14, 16)] On this Christmas morning, I want to remind you again that grace and peace are always for you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, who is born for you. Amen. For the past month or so, I’ve been asking my grandchildren, “What do you want for Christmas?” I can assure you, they are not shy about telling papa what they hope to receive Christmas Day. They keep me well informed. This begs the question, Did you receive what you wanted for Christmas? Here is what I want you to know: God has given us exactly what we need in Jesus. God has given us exactly what we need in Jesus. A poem on a Christmas card said it this way: “If our greatest need was for information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need was for technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need was for pleasure, God would have sent an entertainer. If our greatest need was for money, God would have sent an economist. But since our greatest need is forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.” Dr. Carl Braataen, a teacher, theologian, and author, wrote this in his book, Stewards of the Mysteries: “Jesus gave us a new and paradoxical definition of God. A definition of the humility of God. Many people were offended. They wanted a God of glory – not entering the world at the bottom, not from a despised place like Nazareth in Galilee. He must come in from the top. He must be properly introduced by the right people with the appropriate protocol. Instead, the people got a man from Nazareth. He was only prepared to give them a message on the humility of God, of the identification of God, with the people and the things that don’t count very much in this world. He carried His message of God to the extreme, driving the humility of God all the way to the cross.” Perhaps people see in Jesus not what they want, but Jesus is exactly what we need! First, Jesus is the light of new life. An artist whose specialty was as a sculptor, began work on a statue. Day after day he went into his art studio carving, chiseling. He poured himself into his creation, and slowly it took shape. Finally, he was finished. As he stepped back, he was very pleased with his creation. It was the best work of his life! But a few weeks later, someone broke into his art studio and pushed over his creation. The statue smashed on the floor and broke apart. When the artist returned to his studio, he was heartbroken. He had no choice but to start over again. As we read chapter 1 of John’s Gospel of the Word becoming flesh, the Word creating all things by the power of His Word, we are reminded of this image: God has created all things. But now that creation is broken, Jesus is the Word who comes to recreate all things and make them new. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness. John says the darkness cannot comprehend it. It cannot fully grasp it. It cannot understand. The darkness cannot swallow or overcome the light. Simply lighting a little candle in the dark room dispels the darkness. The light shows us the truth of our hearts, but the light of Jesus also provides the way out of our darkness. You can turn on the lights in a warehouse and see rats scurry. Here is a moment where ignorance is not bliss. When Jesus shines the light into my human heart and shows me my flaws, my imperfections, my shadowy self, my sinfulness, it’s not good news and it’s not pretty. Ignorance is not bliss. My flaws are revealed to me by One who is willing to come into my darkness and clean it up. Jesus is the light shining into my heart. He illumines my house and makes me new. Imagine that you and I were in an underground cave and suddenly our light went out. Instead of turning on our flashlight, we chose to stumble around in the dark. We fall and get hurt. We can’t find our way out of the darkness and are trapped. How much better to light one candle than curse the darkness. Jesus is...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+1:18-25 (Matthew 1:18-25) How did you pick the names of your children? When my wife, Julie, and I were choosing a name for our firstborn son, we picked Sam because it seemed like a good, strong name. When our daughter came along a few years later, we named her Martha because when our friend, Charlie Shedd, talked about his wife Martha, her name would roll off his lips like music as if it was the most beautiful name and person in the world. So we learned to love the name, too. Names are an interesting thing, when you think about it. When we look at names in the Bible, we see they take on greater significance than just distinguishing one person from another. In fact, in Hebrew thought, a name was extremely significant. Names weren’t chosen because it reminded them of Aunt Hilda or Uncle Harold. Parents chose names that would embody the personality and characteristics they wanted to see developed in their child. We also see the importance of a name in the New Testament. In times of crisis – if a person’s life or outlook changed – often their name was changed. Saul became Paul, for instance. When Jesus got hold of Peter, his name was Simon. Later Jesus changed it to Peter, which was in effect the name Rocky. In today’s reading from Matthew, we’re looking at the name Christians declare as the name above all names. The story begins with a man named Joseph, who was very troubled. He had been betrothed to Mary. This commitment was far deeper than what we know today as an engagement. It was almost the same as being married without living together or having sexual relations. Midway through this engagement period, Mary became pregnant. Joseph, knowing the child couldn’t be his, was hurt and confused. Being a righteous man, but also kind, Joseph decided he would quietly break off plans with Mary in such a manner as to not publicly disgrace her. But just as he was about to do that, God’s angel spoke to Joseph in a dream and gave him some insight and direction as to what he should and shouldn’t do next. Throughout Scripture, God frequently spoke to biblical characters through dreams. If you sense God is speaking to you through a dream, I would advise you to check it with Scripture before you follow through or act on it. Joseph received his message in a dream. God’s message to Joseph was this: Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for this child within her is a special child conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Just as we confess in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary . . . “) The messenger is telling Joseph this is no ordinary child. This child is both God and man. In fact, a few moments later, Matthew describes Jesus as Immanuel, God with us. I like this statement by the great author and theologian C. S. Lewis as he describes the amazing virgin birth of Jesus. “Jesus was conceived when God took off the glove of nature and touched Mary with his naked finger. Thus Jesus did not evolve up and out of history.” Jesus is the Son of the Father from eternity, born of the Virgin Mary, true God and true man. Many people have come to understand and believe this about Him after a lot of reflecting and research, like John who wrote in his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, . . . and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word (meaning Jesus) became flesh and lived among us. We have seen His glory, as of a Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” John then goes on to say, “No one has ever seen God. It is God, the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” Jesus is no ordinary child. He is God in the flesh. God’s messenger also went on to tell Joseph this (and it’s where I want to focus today): “She shall have a Son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” This statement answers the very...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+11:1-6 (Matthew 1:1-6) The Christmas carol, “What Child Is This?”, was written by William Dix in 1865. It has been a favorite in the Church for a long time. This carol is unique from the other Christmas carols. Most proclaim the joyous news of the Christ Child. What sets this song apart is it was written from the viewpoint of an observer who is confused about Jesus’ identity. “Who is this Jesus?” is a question many people still ask today. What Child is this? Many people are puzzled and confused about what to make of Him. Their questions are not simply intellectual curiosities, but often are very heartfelt and emotional. Questions such as these have been asked from the very day of His arrival. We hear it being asked again today in our text by John the Baptist. John is absolutely confused, wondering what in the world is going on. Life wasn’t working out as John thought it would. He is in prison for taking on the immoral lifestyle of King Herod. John publicly humiliated Herod by condemning him for an affair he had. He is in jail, which is a miserable place for a person who is used to living in the wide-open spaces of the wilderness. John was a prophet, a spokesman for God. He had a great following; many people listened to him as he preached and baptized people in the Jordan River. Entire communities came out to hear him preach, perhaps because he spoke of One who was coming – God’s Messiah, the Christ. He told them to get ready for His arrival. “Repent!” And they did. John baptized hundreds, thousands of people. The day came when he even baptized Jesus, his cousin. Something special happened at Jesus’ baptism that made John absolutely sure God’s long-awaited Messiah – the Christ – was Jesus, the One spoken of by the Prophets of Old Testament Israel. John was very fired up about Jesus and consequently began pointing other people to Him and telling them to follow Him. In today’s text, much time has passed, and John is appearing to have some doubts. He was in turmoil. Have you ever made a decision about something, and then later wondered if you were wrong? Well, John the Baptist had that experience. He was wrestling with the question of who is Jesus in our text. He was frustrated and perhaps a little irritated with Jesus and God and himself. I imagine he was having some doubts about the Christ, Jesus. I went all out to support this guy. I pointed people in His direction, telling them He is the One! He’s the Christ! The Anointed One chosen by God to redeem and restore His people! But lately I’ve been hearing about the behavior of this Christ. Jesus isn’t following the script I laid out. When He came, I told the people there would be judgment, fire, and blessings as well. I’m hearing a lot about blessings happening. But where’s the judgment? I’m even hearing reports of Jesus eating with lunch with tax collectors and sinners and other despicable types of people! Why in the world would He do that? It isn’t what I had in mind. In the meantime, here I am sitting in this awful dungeon! And I am one of the good guys! One of the very few! Has Jesus forgotten about me? Why doesn’t He help me? He’s letting me down. I guess I just want to know, what gives here? Are you the real deal, Jesus, or not? And if so, is this any way to treat a supporter? John sent a message with a couple of his disciples to ask Jesus about who He is. Are you the One who is to come? (Christ, the Messiah?) “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” John is asking the question of our sermon series: “What Child Is This?” Who are you, Jesus? Are you worthy of my worship, my trust, my obedience, or should I be waiting and looking for another? We must not be too hard on old John. We’ve probably had a few of our own John-the-Baptist moments along the way. Maybe you are having one right now in your life. Things have happened you didn’t expect. You have questions and...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+24:36-44 (Matthew 24:36-44) Christmas is right around the corner. Merchants and stores now have Christmas carols and songs playing on the sound systems. Shoppers have begun rushing madly around looking for gifts to give their loved ones. Even the media joins in as they ask the question in magazines or on television, Who is Jesus? What is the big deal about Jesus, whose birth we celebrate each December? We hear all kinds of opinions and answers from people about Jesus. Some will say He was a great philosopher, a great teacher. Some say He was a fraud. Others say He was the Son of God. For the next few weeks, I want to examine some of the traditional Advent Gospel readings with you to help us come to some conclusions regarding this question. In our reading for today, we find Jesus teaching His disciples some rather strange words for an outsider’s ears. The imagery is rather surreal – Jesus is describing His second coming, which will be the end of history as we know it. Christmas not only tells us of His unexpected coming the first time, but it also reminds us of the promise that Jesus will come again. We remind ourselves of this as we profess the Apostles’ Creed in our worship services: “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” In Jesus’ first coming, the kingdom of God was inaugurated. In His second coming, it will be consummated, and then His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. History is moving steadily toward that grand day. Jesus was telling His disciples about this event. Jesus soon will be going to the cross to die for our sins. As they are leaving the Temple in Jerusalem, the disciples admire its beauty. It was quite a sight. However, Jesus comments that this Temple will be destroyed someday very soon. A little while later, when they’re on the Mount of Olives alone with Jesus, the disciples ask him about His comment. When are you coming again? (When is the end of the age?) Jesus’ response is, I can’t tell you. But what I can say is this: It will be sudden, catching a lot of people by surprise like in the days of Noah. Unexpectedly, the flood came and swept all the people away. There will be a judgment. Two people will be in the field, one suddenly taken. Two women grinding grain. Suddenly one will be taken and one left behind. Therefore, stay awake and live as if today is the last. Don’t get caught unaware like the sleeping master who was robbed by a thief one night. In the midst of Jesus’ response to their question, we get a glimpse of who Jesus is as He talks about Himself. He answers the question of the Christmas Carol, What Child is this? First, notice He calls Himself the Son of Man. Have you ever wondered why? It was Jesus’ favorite way of talking about Himself. He used it more than eighty times in the Gospels in reference to Himself. It actually is an Old Testament power figure from the book of Daniel. It is part of the apocalyptic readings from Daniel describing One who will come again as the Son of Man from God, the Ancient of Days, to rule all the world with dominion and authority. He will take over and make all things right in God’s sight. At His trial, when asked by the high priest about His identity, Jesus replied, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Hearing this, the high priest tore his robes and accused Jesus of blasphemy. The Son of Man is a power figure who is coming again at the end of the age. Jesus also tells His followers in today’s text, I am your Lord . . . As you wait for your Lord. The Lord is a kingly figure. He is in charge. Though the world may look out of control, history is His story. Scripture tells us all things have been placed under His feet. Kingdoms come and kingdoms go. Leaders will rise and fall, but His Kingdom is forever. This is the Christian’s hope and confidence: Jesus is Lord.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/isaiah/passage/?q=isaiah+9:6-7 (Isaiah 9:6, 7) Grace and peace are always for you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. This time of year we love to hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, “A child will be born to us . . . His name will be called the Prince of Peace. Of his government and of his peace there will be no end.” We remember a sky full of angels singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace . . .” (Luke 2:8-10) when Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. We believe Jesus is the fulfillment of the Prince of Peace, and we know and believe He has called each of us, as His followers, to be a peacemaker. Still peace is something the world desperately needs. We think about major wars through the centuries, the peace conferences, and the peace treaties signed. I think of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 marking the end of World War I or the Treaty of Paris in 1947 marking the end of World War II. I think of the treaties the United States government signed with the Native American Indian tribes. How many of those treaties have been broken? The answer, of course, is all of them. There is no peace, no lasting peace in our world. The United Nations, founded in 1945, has this model: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war . . . Still peace is elusive. The Bible speaks of Cain murdering his brother Abel. It speaks of the sons of Abraham – Isaac born to Sarah (Jewish nation) and Ishmael born to Hagar, Sarah’s maid (Arab nation) – who are in conflict and enmity to this day. We think of the Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers who hated him and sold him into slavery. Conflict is not just nation against nation; it’s also interpersonal relationships. I remember a pair of brothers who were farmers – one retired, the other actively farming. The younger brother rented land from his retired brother. It had been a tough farming year, and so the younger brother asked the older brother for forbearance. Could he wait for his payment? But the older brother demanded the cash immediately. Consequently, the younger brother went out of business. For the rest of the older brother’s life, those two men, living in the same small town, never spoke to each other again. We know the power of estranged relationships and conflict, but we also know, as followers of the Prince of Peace, God’s desire is for peace in our world. The biblical story begins in the paradise of the Garden of Eden, described as the garden of peace in Genesis. The scriptural narrative ends in the beautiful garden of peace described in Revelation, permeated with the glory of God’s presence. The Scriptures speak of God and peace in 400 references. The scriptural witness speaks of God’s initiative to restore and establish peace in every way. Like the Jewish greeting “shalom” we long for peace in our world, in our relationships, and in the inner soul of every person. We might describe peace as the cessation of fighting, but I believe it’s more than the absence of conflict. Peace is the blessing of harmony with God, and, therefore, one another. It is coexistence in mutual respect, living in the presence of God’s Spirit in justice and love. So, if we all long for peace, what are the threats and obstacles to peace? In the stream of consciousness, I might mention a whole number of threats: war, fighting, aggressive attacks, arrogant nationalism, racism, cultural insensitivity, religious conflict, greed, jealousy, exploitation, hatred, desire for revenge, grudges and bitterness, unbridled anger, unresolved wounds from a broken past, vicious tongues, hypercritical faultfinding, abuse, injustice, murder of the innocent, bullying, domination, brute force, the cycle of killing, revenge, retaliation, and conflict. It doesn’t stop; it goes on and on. No wonder God knew He would have to send His Son as Isaiah prophesied, This child will be called the Prince of Peace. And when Jesus
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/luke/passage/?q=luke+23:33-43 (Luke 23:33-43) Today has been designated as Christ the King Sunday on the Church calendar. It’s a time to remember that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords over this world. It’s a day to hope and have confidence knowing that Jesus Christ holds the future over this world. As we watch kingdoms come and kingdoms go, Christ’s kingdom is forever, and He has the final say. Luke 23 is a rather odd text to consider on this Christ the King celebration. It’s the story of the crucifixion of Jesus. This is a very ugly story at first glance. We see the cruelty of the cross as Jesus is nailed to it, as He is suffocating and going through great pain and agony for the sins of the world. We see the contempt of His enemies as they humiliate Jesus; the sarcasm, disrespect of the authorities who mocked Him; and the thieves hanging next to Him on their crosses. We see humanity at its worst in this picture. Yet, in the midst of this ugliness, something remarkable takes place. We meet our King. We learn about Him and how He operates. We learn what kind of King He is. First of all, we see He is a gracious and forgiving King as we hear Him respond to His mockers: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they do.” He had every right to curse them for what they were doing – killing the Son of God. Instead, Jesus asked God to give them pardon. One of the thieves on the cross next to Jesus, however, saw something beyond the ugliness. He saw a King. He believed he was in the presence of a King and asked for mercy. We don’t know much about him, except that he had been a very bad man and deserved the punishment he was getting. Perhaps he had been a good boy, raised right but had gone bad, breaking his parents’ heart. Now his life is over. Yet he had heard some things about this man hanging next to him. Perhaps he heard what He could do, or maybe he just noticed the peace of this King who did not curse back at His enemies who were being so cruel to Him, but asked for their pardon instead. What we do know is something happened in this man’s heart as we hear him say to his fellow criminal who has then joined in on the mocking of Jesus. Lay off him. Don’t you fear God? We’re getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong! What we hear in this statement, first of all, is repentance. Don’t you fear God? We’re getting what we deserve! He admits he has been going the wrong way and deserves what he is getting. Then we hear his marvelous words of faith, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Someone listening in might have thought this was a strange thing to say, for it sounds like one who is observing someone rise to a higher office and is looking for benefits from this person. And that is what is happening! He sees Jesus entering His reign as King as He hung on the cross. He admits his need, and in faith asks for help from One who, on the outside, didn’t look very promising at all! His fellow criminal must have laughed and thought he was out of his mind when he asked Jesus, “Remember me.” Listen to the King’s answer to this request of faith. Jesus responds with a promise: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” In this statement, we see the faith of Jesus in His heavenly Father. God will raise me and exalt me. But we also see the mercy and the grace of Jesus. The King grants clemency to the criminal. He welcomes someone who doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to the story of his life and what he deserves. This is a gracious King! This guy had made a total mess of his life. He wasted it! But Jesus didn’t turn him away. Instead He handed him a promise. This is pure, unadulterated grace, and it is good news for you and me because that’s us on the cross! All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God with our lives. All of us deserve punishment for our sinfulness. But this King, who
http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:43-48 (Matthew 5:43-48) A man who had just reached his 100th birthday was being interviewed by a reporter. “I am a hundred years old,” said the centenarian, “and I don’t have an enemy in a world!” “That’s wonderful,” said the reporter. “You must be very proud.” “Yes,” said the man. “My last enemy died about a year ago!” Enemies. It’s likely that each of us will have a few of them during our pilgrimage on earth. Personality conflicts, clashing of egos, wills, philosophies, or goals can oftentimes put us at odds – sometimes viciously – with other people who become our enemies. So what is to be our attitude, as citizens of God’s kingdom, toward our enemies? During Jesus’ time, the people were being taught a simple statement: Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. However, Jesus challenged this statement in our reading. First of all, He took it on because you’d be hard pressed to find a commandment in the Bible telling us to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. It’s not found in the Old Testament, but it is what was being taught, perhaps because it seems like common sense. We are born with the instinct to restrict the scope of our love to people who love us and to be indifferent or hate those outside that circle who behave as an enemy and show hostility toward us. We see this mindset in the question posed to Jesus by a scribe when he asked, So who is my neighbor that I am to love as myself? The teacher of the law wanted to know where to draw the line on love. This is why Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. Jews hated Samaritans. The Samaritan in this story loved his enemy – the Jew – in a lavish and generous way. Shocking! Jesus seems to be saying in this parable and in this part of the Sermon on the Mount, When it comes to love, citizens of the kingdom of God – Jesus’ followers – who have received God’s grace in their life should not draw a line on love. “You’ve heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Jesus was not being blind or casual. He was not playing down the hostility of an enemy. He knew some people really are enemies, and He knew from personal experience how cruel, malicious, and vicious enemies can be. They live to persecute you, bring you down and make you more miserable. They make your life difficult as they hold you in contempt. Jesus is being quite clear here. He says, “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.” What does He mean by the word love? We use the word love in so many ways in our English language. We talk about how we love ice cream, and we love our wife. Is it the same thing? We talk about loving the Chicago Cubs these days, and we love our children. Is it the same thing? No. The New Testament has different words for love that you should know about. One word is Eros, which is kind of a physical attraction type of love. Jesus doesn’t seem to be talking that way. There is Philia, a friendship type of love from which we get the word Philadelphia, city of brotherly love. There is Storge, which is family affection type of love. But the word used here is Agape, which is sacrificial love. It is an act of the will to show goodwill toward a person. It’s not a feeling, but a decision, a commitment to help them be all they can be. The early Christians adopted agape to describe God’s love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ when He went to the cross and died for our sins. Jesus used it when He talked about the love we are to have for one another. “By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Agape is an attitude that says I will do what is best for the other person, whether I am dealing with a friend or a foe. I will deal with my enemy as if I like them. I will decide to act for their highest good. This is what Jesus was talking...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:38-42 (Matthew 5:38-42) Getting hurt is an unavoidable part of life. After all, we live in a broken world. Some of these hurts come from difficult circumstances, but some of the worst hurts come from people who strike out at us with their words or their actions. For instance, a child going to grade school who is picked on by a bully. Or a youth going to high school who has rumors and untrue things said about them, and their reputation is wrecked. Or an adult who suffers deep disappointment when someone they love breaks their trust. How do you deal with a person who has hurt you? This is a tough question facing every follower of Jesus who wants to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are quite different from what our human emotions or culture tells us to do. One common reaction toward those who have hurt us is to apply the law of tit for tat. If you hit me, I’ll hit you back. You gossip about me; I gossip back about you. You insult me, I’ll one-up you by insulting you, too. Maybe you’ve heard the children’s rhyme, “Tit-for-tat; butter for fat. You kill my dog, I kill your cat.” This reaction has been called the eye-for-an-eye law. It came from the Code of Hammurabi about 2300 B.C., which taught this law as the correct way to deal with a person who has committed evil. The same teaching is found in the Old Testament in Exodus and Leviticus. In one instance, Moses, speaking on God’s behalf, says to the people of Israel, “If any harm follows when two people are going after one another then, you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Ex. 21:24-25). These words seem to be rather harsh at first hearing. However, this teaching has an element of mercy for the punishment is no more than the equivalent of the injury inflicted on a person. You can’t do any more to that person in the punishment. The people were not given this law to be used in a vigilante sort of way. This was a civil law for the judges of Moses’ community to follow according to the context of this command. It was a means of maintaining law and order in a fallen world. These laws were never intended to be employed in personal relationships to get revenge. However, It appears this rule was being practiced and even encouraged by the religious establishment during the time of Jesus. It was being used for the purpose of personal revenge. In our passage for today, Jesus is responding to it. He introduces the citizens of His kingdom to another way of treating the person who has hurt us. It is the “Jesus Way”. Hear His words: “You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth,’ but I say to you, Do not resist an evil doer. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” I consider these words to be some of the most difficult in the New Testament to interpret and live by. They come off as impractical to me. If we followed Jesus’ counsel, people would take advantage of us. How can a Christian person accept an appointment to be a judge in a court of law if he didn’t punish the person who had hurt another individual? It’s important for us to understand that, since God has instituted the government to maintain order, it must include punishment, for punishment deters crime and the breaking of the law. Jesus is not disputing this. In fact, our Lord taught us to be faithful citizens of the state and uphold the civil laws. The Apostle Paul does this as well in his letter to the Romans, and the Apostle Peter, who walked with Jesus, talks about the same thing in one of his letters in the New Testament. Regarding this particular...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:3-8 (Matthew 5:3-8) Grace, mercy, and peace are always for you from God, our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. Our world is such a broken, imperfect place, filled with temptation, corrupted by attitudes and behaviors of the cultures in which we live. How could any of us keep a pure heart? Yet, that’s exactly what Jesus says concisely, powerfully. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” So my question is, How can any of us receive a pure heart? Advertisers hustle their products as pure, claiming pure pleasure, pure satisfaction. Animal breeders produce purebred horses, pigs, dogs, cats. We desire pure silver or gold. We drink pure water. We want to wear clothing made from pure fabrics like silk, cotton, or wool because they are exquisite in their appearance, comfort, and endurance. Pure! One hundred percent, undiluted, uncompromised, unmixed. Hospitals around the world have infection-control departments. They have processes for sterilization of medical equipment because they need pure, germ-free environments so patients may gain health. Purity is important. God seeks men and women with pure hearts. Hosea 6:6 says, “I delight not in sacrifice but in loyalty and obedience.” When the prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to anoint the next King of Israel in I Samuel 16, he looked at the older sons and thought they were the ones, but the Spirit said, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” How can I have a pure heart? Purity is being clean, free of contamination, free of immorality (especially sexual immorality), free from impurity, free from corruption, absolutely conforming to a standard of quality, flawless, faultless. This definition makes purity difficult to attain. Acts 13 describes King David as a man after God’s own heart. Yet he had great moral failings in his life. We especially remember him sleeping with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, and then, when she was found to be pregnant, having Uriah murdered. When he was confronted with his sin, David wrote these powerful words of Psalm 51: “You desire truth in my inward parts. Purify me, and I will be clean, O Lord. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” David was far from perfect, but he was purely devoted to seek, serve, love, and honor God. Have you ever been in a restaurant where they served you an entrée that was less than perfect? The proverbial fly in the soup. Sometimes I think we offer God a fly in the soup. We think, God understands I’m not perfect. The liturgy confession says, “We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed.” We also sin in attitudes and motives. We offer God a fly in the soup. Fredrik Wisloff, in his devotional book, “Rest a While,” says, “Every human is by nature desiring honor. Who doesn’t like to be well spoken of? We dismiss kind words, proud of our own modesty, but in our hearts we’re really agreeing with the person who praised us, feeling it is well deserved. To feed on the praise of others is the danger of making ourselves small. We can become slaves of other people’s approval. We desire honor and recognition from others in a way that might hinder or cripple our faith. Faith’s one goal should be to honor Christ. The true believer has no ulterior motives, desires nothing for himself but all for Christ. Where faith lives, the desire for honor dies.” Purity of heart, though, is more than just the removal of dirt. It’s also the way our minds and our hearts think and feel. It’s more than vacuuming our living room or washing a car. Who can help us? Ezekiel 36:25 says this: “God promises, ‘I will sprinkle clean water on you. You will be clean.” God has to wash our hearts. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness, from all your idols. Moreover, I’ll go even beyond that. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. It’s beautiful! It is the...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:33-37 (Matthew 5:33-37) Life is filled with many promises both made and received. As receivers, we desire people around us to keep their promises and to be truthful with us. I really appreciate the person whose word is their bond. As citizens, for instance, we want our government leaders and politicians to be trustworthy and to keep their promises. As customers, we want the products we purchase to work just as promised. As married couples, we want our spouse to be faithful to their promise and truthful, even in the little things of life. If a volunteer said yes to performing a duty for us in our church, we like to know they will be reliable and do the job. Unfortunately, though, we live in a world where many times that does not happen. Promises are easily made and easily broken on a regular basis. Truthfulness gets set aside, and people get hurt. Jesus addresses this subject in today’s text from His Sermon on the Mount. Just by way of review, it’s important for us to remember that the Sermon on the Mount is addressed to kingdom-of-heaven citizens. It is given to those who have received the righteousness of God into their lives, received new birth, and then, filled with the Holy Spirit, live a new life as members of His kingdom with a sincere desire to show grateful love to God and to do life His way. Jesus has been teaching about the deeper righteousness of the kingdom-of-heaven citizen, and what it looks like in life situations. He talks of such subjects as murder, adultery, divorce and relates them to matters of the heart. Six times in chapter 5, Jesus says, “You have heard it said . . .” about a particular commandment. Then He would say, “but I say to you . . .” and He would challenge the religious establishment’s shallow interpretation of the commands of God. Today we see Jesus doing this again. He addresses the subject of giving your word – making oaths and vows. He states, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” A couple things jump out at us in this teaching of Jesus. First of all, Jesus seems to be challenging the shady practices of religious authorities like the scribes and Pharisees. They had devised a system around making oaths, which actually ended up promoting lying and gave people permission to not keep their promises. Jesus tells them they were playing word games here, because the religious experts were tinkering with the formula. Making an oath in the Old Testament was important to God, but they were changing the formula of these oaths. They were changing some of the wording in order to not use the name of the Lord in it, saying they did not want to profane the name of the Lord. Instead they would make promises and swear by heaven, or earth, or Jerusalem, or by their very life – their head. Then they would reason that, since these oaths weren’t made in the name of God, they weren’t necessarily binding or important to keep. It reminds me of keeping our fingers crossed behind our back when we make a promise to someone. They were being totally dishonest, and Jesus points this out. He says these kinds of word games are ridiculous and harmful, and far from our heavenly Father’s will. The next point Jesus makes is the bottom line. He says, Here is how the-kingdom-of-God people – my followers — are to operate. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Anything more than this comes from evil. God wants His people to be honest with their words and promises. They should never, ever have
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:27-30 (Matthew 5:27-30) Does God really care about your sex life as a Christian? Of course He does! He is interested in every area of your life! After all, He created you, and He bought you with a price through His Son Jesus Christ. He gave this particular gift to you as a beautiful gift for procreation and as a means of expressing intimacy between you and your spouse in marriage. But, like all gifts God has given, this gift is meant to be treated responsibly. If you are a citizen of His kingdom through your trust in Jesus Christ, He wants you to live a life of sexual purity, to be distinct in this overly sexual-saturated society in which we live. Jesus talks about this in today’s passage, which is part of the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard it said of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’” Adultery, of course, is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person – married or not – other than his or her spouse. This statement – You shall not commit adultery – is part of the Ten Commandments. Adultery is sharply condemned by God from the beginning of Scripture to the end. It is considered totally out of bounds. We see in this command how highly God honors and glorifies the married life, and how He wants us to honor and maintain it, cherish it and protect it. Martin Luther says, This commandment requires everyone to not only live chastely in thought, word, and deed in marriage, but to also love and cherish the wife or husband whom God has given. For marital chastity to be maintained, it is above all things essential that husband and wife live together in love and harmony, cherishing each other wholeheartedly and with perfect fidelity. Sex is to be only between a husband and a wife who have totally committed themselves to one another at the altar. Jesus takes this command a little deeper though, beyond the physical to the heart. The heart is our control center. It’s where our will resides. This command is also about the heart! Listen to these authoritative words of Jesus: “You’ve heard that you shall not commit adultery, but I say if you look at a woman with lust (or if you’re a woman – look at a man), you have already committed adultery in your heart. Just as the prohibition of murder included angry thoughts and insulting words, so the prohibition of adultery includes lustful looks and imagination. As we can commit murder with our words, we can commit adultery with our minds. It’s important to note a couple things here. Jesus, first of all, is not saying it is wrong to simply look at a woman, but to lustfully look at her is wrong. You know the difference between looking and lusting. To lust after something is to gaze longingly at it. To covet it, to desire it, wanting to possess it, letting your imagination run wild and imagine having sexual relations with this person if you could. This also refers to all forms of sexual immorality being displeasing to God, to let our minds and our eyes go there. But do note the relationship between our eyes and our control center – the heart – that Jesus makes here. Heart adultery is a result of eye adultery. It is stimulated by the eyes of the flesh. Typically deeds of shame are preceded by fantasies of shame and the inflaming of the imagination, which comes by the undisciplined look of the eyes. It is highly doubtful if any human being falls victim to immorality who has not first opened the gates of passion through their eyes. Then the fantasizing begins and trouble follows. Therefore, the only way to deal with the problem, it appears, is at its beginning, which are our eyes. Jesus talks about that in the following verses. He gives a kingdom principle for maintaining sexual purity in our heart and flesh. “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” This seems to be a favorite...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:17-26 (Matthew 5:17-26) A question has been posed to me in the past: Do the Commandments of the Old Testament still apply for the Christian? Is the Old Testament still legitimate for the follower of Jesus? Some people might say no. What do you think? Jesus answers that question in today’s passage as He talks about righteousness in the life of a follower of Christ. He said, “Do you think I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets? I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” First, we need to look at what are the Law and Prophets Jesus is speaking about. He is talking about the entire Old Testament – the Commandments, the first five books, the prophetic writings like Jeremiah and Malachi, and the wisdom writings. When He says, “Do you think . . . “, He is answering the Jewish religious authorities’ accusations that He was repealing the Old Testament teachings. They didn’t like His attitudes toward Old Testament laws on issues such as Sabbath-keeping. He trampled all over the rules and traditions they had set up around this commandment, and it irritated them to no end. Who does he think he is trying to repeal our commandments? People also noticed that Jesus taught as One with great authority. He didn’t quote other rabbis or experts. He just spoke His Word based upon Himself. People would comment about this new teaching with such authority. The religious authorities wondered if Jesus was abandoning the Old Testament and setting aside Moses’ laws from God. Well, Jesus emphatically says in this passage, Anyone who thinks the Commandments in the Old Testament aren’t important to me, you’ve got me all wrong. “I have come not to set them aside but to fulfill them,” which means to fill them. How does Jesus fulfill the Old Testament? First of all, we have the doctrinal teachings in the Old Testament where we learn about God and man, and God’s plan to rescue this broken world. But it is only a partial revelation. Jesus is the One who completes God’s plans in the New Testament. Then we have the prophecies that look forward to the coming of the Jewish Messiah. Jesus comes in and announces the time is fulfilled with His ministry. The climax was His death on the cross in which the perfect fulfillment of sacrifice for sin was made. Now the ceremonial, sacrificial system is no longer needed. It is abolished in that way. But its significance is much more meaningful as we look at the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, once and for all, for humankind’s sin. The Old Testament also contains the moral laws of God, the ethical precepts which were often misunderstood and disobeyed. Jesus is here to explain their intentions, why God gave them to the people. He fulfilled them by His perfect obedience. He followed them to the max. He rejects the crazy interpretation of God’s Commandments the Pharisees and scribes had placed upon the Laws with all their cumbersome, man-made rules, regulations, and traditions that were burdening people. He came to give us the straight scoop on God’s intentions for His Commandments. He came, not to annul God’s Law, but to reveal the full depth of its meaning. The Law still applies to Christ’s followers, according to Jesus, for living a responsive, righteous life before our God of grace whom we love. Jesus expects His followers to live by them. These laws will not pass away. And He wants His followers to teach them to others. In fact, He wants our righteousness and obedience to exceed that of the Pharisees and scribes, which must have seemed shocking for people to hear then and makes us uncomfortable as well. But Jesus was talking about a different kind of righteousness. The Pharisees and scribes had an external righteousness and obedience. They were living by the rules in order to get right with God. Jesus was saying this is way off base from God’s intentions. It’s not why He gave the law. With all their traditions
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:1-12 (Matthew 5:1-12) I remember being asked as a kid, What do you want to be when you grow up? Maybe you were asked that question too. I gave a variety of answers: fireman, ballplayer, actor, teacher. One time I even said I’d like to be a pastor. When our little girl Martha was asked that question one day, she replied, “I want to be the President of the United States!” Imagine asking Jesus, What do you want us to be when we grow up? Jesus points out the answer to that question in today’s biblical text. He holds up a character portrait of what He has in mind for us. However, Jesus focuses not on careers but on character. The portion of Scripture I read earlier is referred to as the Beatitudes. I like to refer to them as the “Be-Distinct Attitudes.” In order to better understand them, we need to examine the context and what has transpired so far in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus has begun His ministry. He has come into this world proclaiming the Kingdom that had long been promised throughout the Old Testament. “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” He’s called disciples to follow Him. The crowds are starting to move in His direction as they take notice of Him through His miracles and different sorts of teachings. At this point in the story, Jesus takes His disciples to a mountain and begins to teach them about what kingdom-of-heaven people look like as far as character is concerned. This talk from Jesus in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7 has been referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. It’s important to understand that the Beatitudes are not a recipe on how to gain salvation. It’s being spoken to those who have said yes to Jesus Christ, have received salvation, and are now wondering what God has in mind for them. How can I live my life in a way that expresses my gratitude and love to God for all He has done for me? Notice, each of these statements begins with the word “blessed.”Over the years, people have pointed out that it means happy. Some translations of Scripture even replace the word blessed with happy. Blessed does mean happy, but not in the way we think of happiness. It’s not a prescription for happiness. The word blessed is not so much about how we feel but about what God thinks of us, what has His approval, which, of course, leads to happiness because God knows what makes our life work best. I like the way the New Living Translation puts it. Instead of “blessed are . . .” it says “God blesses those who are poor in spirit, . . .” The first four Beatitudes describe what our relationship with God is to look like. It begins by saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit. Those who, in other words, know they need God. It means a humble dependence upon God, and an acknowledgment of our spiritual bankruptcy before God. We really need Him, and we’re sunk without Him. It’s like the old gospel song – Rock of Ages – says, “Nothing in my hand I bring; simply to the cross I cling. Naked come to thee for dress; helpless look to thee for grace; Foul I to the fountain fly; wash me Savior or I die.” Each Beatitude has a promise attached to it. When Jesus says, “for they shall receive the kingdom of heaven,” it means we will step into a meaningful relationship with God and be a citizen of His kingdom. Blessed are those who mourn. Jesus is not talking about those who are grieving over personal loss. He is talking about those who lament over sin in their life. As we take an honest inventory of how we fall short, tears of deep contrition for sin fall. Godly grief and sorrow. When we look at the world around us, we begin to mourn over the evil and sin in this world God created. Jesus says those who mourn will be comforted with forgiveness. A vision of a new heaven and a new earth will be ours to enjoy with no more sorrow and no more tears, as the book of Revelation tells us. Blessed are the meek. He’s talking about those...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:1-9 (Matthew 5:1-9) Grace and mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen. One of the most hauntingly eloquent words of Jesus comes from the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” When the world knows that we by faith are the followers of Jesus Christ and we have shown mercy to others, it will cause us to stand out as distinctly different from the rest of the culture. We will be radically countercultural, and we will never more accurately reflect God’s heart than when we show mercy to others as God has been merciful to us. Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist and a member of the Nazi party during World War II, was a spy for the allies and is credited with saving over 1200 Jewish lives during the atrocities of that war by employing them in his manufacturing plants. In a movie depicting his life in that point of history, Schindler goes to visit Amon Goeth, a prison camp commandant. Just before he arrives, Goeth is sitting on the deck outside his house overlooking the prison camp. He’s been shooting a high-powered rifle, picking off those helpless Jewish people who are prisoners of war, killing them for sport. When Schindler arrives, Goeth says, “Control is power.” Schindler says, “Is that why they fear us?” “We have the power to kill,” Goeth says. Schindler says, “Power to kill arbitrarily. Revenge is power to kill is better. But really that’s not power; that’s justice. It’s different than power. Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t.” “Power?” says Goeth. “That’s what the Emperor said. A man stole and was brought before the Emperor. The man threw himself down and begged for mercy. He knew he was going to die. He knew he deserved to die, but the Emperor pardoned him. This worthless man, he let him go. That’s power. Pardon, forgiveness, and mercy – that’s power.” The power of an act of mercy has the ability to change the world, and that’s what Jesus calls us to offer in His name. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said this: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” If we were going to define mercy, we might point to a person who deserves judgment, but it’s withheld, and compassion and kindness are shown instead. Yet mercy can also be broader. Psalm 145 says, “The Lord is good to all; his mercies are poured out over all his works.” When we look at the life of Jesus, it’s interesting that in three separate stories those who are broken and in need beg for Jesus to show them mercy. The first is about Bartimaeus, the blind man sitting by the road outside Jericho. He knows Jesus is coming by, so he cries out, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus, despite the opposition of the crowd, calls the blind man to Him and heals him miraculously. The blind man whose sight is restored, having received mercy, follows Jesus. We see the Canaanite woman beg for Jesus’ mercy in Matt. 15:22-28. Her daughter was demon possessed, and she even overrides Jesus’ initial reluctance and begs again. Even the dogs under the table eat the scraps that are thrown. Have mercy. The man who had a demon-possessed son said, “Have mercy on me, o Lord.” So from the life of Jesus, we see this pattern: Mercy sees the distress, helplessness, and suffering. It responds with inner compassion. Compassion then propels us to relieve the suffering or reverse the distress. We show mercy.
That’s how we would follow the pattern of Jesus. Mercy is linked to forgiveness. In Titus 3 we read this: “According to God’s great mercy, he saved us.” So mercy was behind forgiveness. Forgiveness is the fruit of mercy. When God looked at our broken condition with compassion, affection, and sympathy, He sent Jesus Incarnate on a mission of mercy, and Jesus – in mercy – went to the cross. Mercy is the
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/matthew/passage/?q=matthew+5:13-16 (Matthew 5:13-16) As we begin this new sermon series from Matthew chapter 5 entitled, “Distinct,” the first thing I want you to understand and act upon is this truth: In the whole scheme of things, you matter. You really do! I can say that because I know you are died for. While you were lost in your sin, Christ died for you to pay for your sin and bring you into a relationship with God as you place your trust in what the Savior did for you. I’ve heard it said that even if you were the only person living in this world, Christ would have died for you! You matter. Now if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you matter because you’ve been given a new status. Scripture tells us you are holy – set apart for God’s good purposes – to actively engage and influence others in your sphere of influence for the kingdom of God. God has big plans for your life. This is what Jesus tells us today in our reading. It talks of the importance of living in close proximity to one’s culture, to actually engage it as salt and light. We’re not to hide away like spiritual hermits but impact the culture for good for the cause of God. To make this point, Jesus chose two metaphors of everyday objects found in any home and in any culture – salt and light. First He said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, it’s not good for anything.” Salt was considered to be a valuable commodity in those days. Soldiers were actually paid their wages in salt. Thus we get the saying, “he was worth his salt.” It was also used in sacrifices in worship. So first off, He’s saying you are valuable, and you matter to God and to the world. Now I’d like to have you think with me about the qualities of salt and what can it actually do. As you probably know, salt as a spice makes things taste good. Jesus is telling us that we have the ability to spice life up for those around us with whom we have contact. We also know salt creates thirst. You’ve heard the adage – you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. Someone once told me that indeed, you can make him drink! Just give him some salt, and he will drink. You have the ability to create a thirst in people for a relationship with God, the water of life – Jesus. Salt also has a preserving quality. Back in the days when there was no refrigeration, salt was used to preserve meat and keep it from rotting. Jesus is telling us we have the ability to keep this world from deteriorating. In essence He is telling us the world is a bland, deteriorating place. It needs us to be salt in it. Jesus goes on to say, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all those in the house.” Light is valuable; it keeps us from stumbling in the darkness. If you have ever been stuck in a dark place, you know how much you value light. What are the qualities of light? It reveals, enlightens, guides, illuminates, and clarifies things. Like a lightbulb that goes on in our minds, it’s unique, observable, and powerful as it penetrates the darkness. Jesus seems to be describing the world as a dark place that needs us to be its light. It’s interesting that the One who said, “I am the light of the world,” now says to us who are His followers, “You are the light of the world.” We are to reflect His light into the lives of those around us. “Let your light shine before others so they see your good deeds, (the things that are consistent with what Jesus would do), and give praise to your heavenly Father.” Now let me clarify something here. Of course, we speak up for Jesus publicly. In Mark 8 for instance, Jesus did say, Anyone who is ashamed of me and doesn’t speak up for me, I’ll be ashamed of them when they stand before the Father. But we must remember, people can stop listening, as they sometimes do,...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/luke/passage/?q=luke+15:1-10 (Luke 15:1-10) As we read through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we find Jesus encountering all kinds of people – men, women, and children; winners and losers; rich and poor; nice people and not-so-nice people; healthy people and sick people; the looked-up-to and the outcast; working class and professionals; priests and prostitutes; religious and nonreligious; law-abiding people and crooked people just to name a few. The amazing and surprising thing in these encounters is, Jesus loved them all. That’s not to say He approved of the way they lived their lives or their attitudes and thinking. As a matter of fact, Jesus changed many of them along the way. Across the board, Jesus loved them all and turned no one away. The religious authorities of Jesus’ day did not approve of Him welcoming these people and they often criticized Him for it. After all, religious, law-abiding folks need to be careful about the company they keep, they thought. And if Jesus really is one of us, He would know better. Thus, it made Him suspect. After all, Birds of a feather flock together. In today’s story, as people watch Jesus teach tax collectors (considered to be lowlifes of the society) and some other sinful, immoral types, the Pharisees and Scribes began grumbling. “This fellow welcomes sinners and even eats with them.” Or as we might put it today, This dude runs with the despicable. He’s disgusting. He should know better! They were actually correct in some respects. The people with Jesus were not nice. They were a very tough, unlikable group. We might compare them to drug dealers, pornographers, and other seedy types of our world. But the religious experts didn’t understand Jesus, His Gospel message, or His mission. They became nervous and uptight and felt irritated with Jesus. So they criticized Him and grumbled amongst themselves. Jesus either heard them grumbling or knew what they were talking about as He observed their critical disapproving stares. However, instead of openly putting them in their place, He told them three stories called parables, two of which are in our reading for today. He asked them to imagine being a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. When one goes missing, the shepherd goes on an all-out search until he finds that animal. When he finds it, he puts it on his shoulders and carries it home. Then he calls together his friends and neighbors saying, “Rejoice with me, for I found my sheep that was lost!” Jesus concluded, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Before His listeners could ask any questions, Jesus stretched their imaginations a bit more and asked, “What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one doesn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and search until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost!’” Summing up what He was describing, Jesus says, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents (the person who gets found).” What is Jesus telling us in these stories? I have found three things. First, Everyone Matters. Each of us is of great value to God. Something of great value is missing in these stories and is merited an all-out search until it is found. These possessions are anything but trivial to the owner. Scripture tells us all people are created in the image of God and are the crown of God’s creation. God wants everyone. Jesus is telling us everyone matters. That is why He welcomes those whom society has written off and eats with them. They matter! Second, Everybody Needs God. Without Him, we are sunk. Notice how Jesus describes the missing objects as lost. We are helplessly, hopelessly lost without God in our lives,...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/luke/passage/?q=luke+14:25-35 (Luke 14:25-35) Okay. So, what’s the bottom line? We ask that question when we want to know what something is going to cost. We just watched the Olympics. The bottom line for the Olympic athletes requires absolute commitment to rigorous training, taking extra special care of their body and having a competitive, never-give-up attitude. They must commit to being a team player and a person of character as they represent our nation. That is their bottom line. An employee might ask his boss what the bottom line is for him to get a promotion in the company. The boss, then, would have a list of things. That is his bottom line. When a bill comes, I open it and look immediately at the bottom line to find out what I am to pay. I want to consider another bottom-line question with you today. What is the bottom line for being a follower, a disciple of Jesus Christ? Jesus answers this question for us today in our text from Luke. He was accompanied by great crowds who were enthusiastic, passionate admirers of Him. They liked this “miracle man,” this charismatic teacher. Perhaps they thought of Him as their hope for the future. Perhaps they thought they could benefit from being connected to Him. He provided great entertainment with His miracles and storytelling, and people loved it when He took on the religious leaders and stumped them. Some may have even referred to themselves as disciples of Jesus as they sought to be identified with this popular celebrity. But talk is cheap. In reality, they were fans, not followers. A fan, you see, is someone who is an enthusiastic admirer. Jesus was not interested in having fans. What He wanted were followers. Sometimes those of us in the church can fall prey to the danger of creating more of a fan approach to our faith then being a follower. People become spectators with a consumeristic attitude – entertain me, feed me, inspire me, take care of me, wow me! Sure, I believe in Jesus! I’m here, aren’t I? This attitude becomes prevalent in the church when we have been too focused on promoting the benefits of Jesus by selling Him like a product to the masses and not talking about what it means to follow Him. Why do we do that? For the sake of attracting and keeping the crowds. Say the prayer, let Him into your heart, and keep showing up. But Jesus seems to have other ideas. He lays out the bottom line for the crowds. What does it take to be My disciple? (What’s the bottom line to follow Me?) To be My follower means a willingness to risk losing everything for Me – like your family. “He who does not hate his family cannot be My disciple.” How shocking this must’ve been to hear! By the way, when Jesus says I must hate my family, He’s using an Aramaic way of saying I must love them less than I love Him. I must choose Jesus over my family. I’m reminded of James and John who dropped their nets and left their father to follow Jesus. In the early days of Christianity, following Jesus could be a major sacrifice. It might mean you would be considered dead by your family members. I recently read about a woman in India who was poisoned by her family and died for converting to Christianity. In America, a commitment to follow Jesus Christ can cause disruption and tension in homes. Are you going down to that church again? Why are you giving them our money? I am opposed to this. It must stop! Jesus goes on to say that to follow Him also means a willingness to risk losing your life, to suffer and even die for Him. Jesus doesn’t tell us to pick up our Cadillac and follow Him. No, He says, “Pick up your cross and follow me.” Be willing to sacrifice your reputation and suffer rejection by those who don’t understand why you stand up for Him. Speak up for Him in this world. Jesus goes on. To follow Him means a willingness to lose your possessions. Choose Him over things like a car, house, job and...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/passage/?q=matthew+13:31-32 (Matthew 13:31, 32) When Jesus burst on the public scene after His baptism, He said the Kingdom of God is here. By His presence, Jesus brought the reign of God and established it in a whole new way. In much of His ministry, Jesus taught us about the Kingdom of God. It is a bold thought to say God reigns over this world, over the events of time and eternity, and over people of all nations and cultures. But what does it mean for us, as believers in Jesus, to know we are embedded into this world and part of God’s growing kingdom? Using Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed, I’d like to explore a little bit about how what is tiny will become huge, how the kingdom is organic, how God calls us to a unique type of holiness, that the Kingdom is inclusive, and that the Kingdom offers the ultimate refuge in the tree outside Jerusalem’s Gates. Jesus used the tiniest seed – the mustard seed – to illustrate how it becomes a large tree in the garden, where Jesus says even the birds find shelter and build a nest. The Kingdom of God might seem small or experiencing setbacks, but it’s going to grow huge. In American business many stories exist of small, meager beginnings becoming huge. For instance, Walt Disney began sketching animated characters in his garage before giving birth to the vision of Disney World. Did you know an electronics hacker named Steve Wozniak and his longtime friend Steve Jobs started building personal computers in their garage in 1976? It exploded to become the company we call Apple. Or that in 1891, a 29-year-old man named William Wrigley, Jr. moved from Philadelphia to Chicago and began selling soap, offering baking powder as an incentive. His baking powder was so popular that he shifted to offering chewing gum as an incentive. The popularity of the gum made him again switch so that in 1893 he produced Juicy Fruit, which became the number one chewing gum in the country. Now a baseball field in Chicago, where the lovable losers – the Chicago Cubs – play. Their field, Wrigley field, bears his name. A newly-married couple, Ruth and Elliot Handler, founders of Mattel, began manufacturing picture frames and used the remnant wood to build dollhouse furniture. They soon discovered the toy niche was a much more lucrative place to invest their energy, so they began manufacturing dollhouse furniture. Eventually that endeavor led them to sponsor a TV program called the Mickey Mouse Club. Then, in 1955, they released their iconic toy, the Barbie doll, and it is just went huge! Let’s apply small becoming huge to the followers of Jesus. A small handful of disciples has now become a worldwide Church, the Body of Jesus Christ. It all began when Andrew (who had been a disciple of John the Baptist), invited his brother, Simon (whom Jesus would call Peter), saying, We found the Messiah. Come and see. A small band of twelve motley fishermen and blue-collar boys and a few women began to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus the Messiah. It is a kingdom of grace, a kingdom of hope that has spread to people of every nation, culture, color, and language, worldwide. Small can become big. I just returned from a week of vacation at Big Wolf Lake near Bemidji in northern Minnesota. Every time I go there, the chiggers, deer flies, and mosquitoes start salivating; they love to feast on the body of Lee Laaveg. Chiggers are especially a problem to my poor legs. They eat in Norwegian delicacy food from my calves, thighs, and feet. Those little chiggers are so small, your eyes can’t even see them, but they have an amazing impact, impossible to ignore. That is a negative impact of small with huge indications. However, that same week in Minnesota, as I was putting my grandson to sleep one night, I sang to him, “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam to shine for him each day,” and it occurred to me that, while those insects have such a negative impact, the opposite...
http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/psalms/116.html (Psalm 116) I have some good news for you today: God answers prayer! He attests to it in Scripture – both Old and New Testament. We hear Jesus say, “Ask and it will be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened unto you” (Luke 11:9). We hear testimonies of people who have prayed and God answered. I imagine many of you have stories to tell of God’s faithfulness to you in answering your prayers. The truth in all of this is God does not operate with a hands-off policy toward this world. He not only hears us when we call upon Him, but He is also active in His creation. Martin Luther, in his definition of the first article in our Apostles’ Creed, has written that when we profess, I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, we are saying, “I believe God has created me and all that exists. He has given me and still preserves my body and soul with all their powers. He has provided me with food and clothing, home and family, daily work in all I need from day-to-day. God also protects me in time of danger and guards me from every evil.” God is present. He hears prayer. He is active in this world. He answers prayer. This is good news for the likes of you and me, because we are sinners – sometimes very lost, helpless sheep – continually needing help in life. Psalm 116 tells us God answers prayer. In fact, it is a story about an answered prayer. It begins, “I love the Lord.” When was the last time you said, “I love the Lord”? Why? Because He heard my prayers and rescued me. The story is, the songwriter was once deathly sick. “The snares of death encompassed me.” He was on the edge of dying. He was emotionally suffering as well. “I suffered distress and anguish.” He was a nervous wreck, hopeless and helpless. “Then I called upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, deliver me!” He knew God’s character. He is gracious, righteous, and merciful. When I was at my lowest, God saved me. So relax! Trust in God even when days are dark. Look how good He’s been to you! And he talks to God, “You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. You took care of my every need; I trust in You. I knew I could count on You, Lord. As bad as things were, I never stopped believing in You. Then this testimony is finished in the song, and a second stanza begins. Love like this calls for a response. So the psalmist asks, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me?” The old gospel song, “My Tribute,” begins like this: How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me? Things so undeserved . . .” This is what our psalmist is asking today – How can I say thanks? He answers his own rhetorical question with a list of things he intends to do. I will call upon Him as long as I live. Whether the times are good or times are bad, I will trust God in all things and turn to Him. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. In other words, I will live my life for Him – an audience of one – my God. I will live my life out before Him seeking to bring Him pleasure. I will go to worship the Lord; I am going to church! And when I am there, “I will lift up the cup of salvation,” which is what they did in those days. (It is a Thanksgiving type of cup.) “And call on the name of the Lord.” In other words, I’ll raise my cup and make a toast to God. I want everyone to hear that God is due my gratitude. He has done a great thing in my life! “I will pay my vows to the Lord . . .” (This is our way of saying I will give my offering of thanks), “. . . in the presence of his (God’s) people (meaning in worship).” “O Lord, I am your servant.” From this day on, I want to serve you. I will testify to your greatness and grace in the service and give thanks to you for what you’ve done in my life in front of my fellow worshipers. And Lord, when I am outside of the church...
Psalm 67
Last year a book was published that was entitled Mission Drift – The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders Charities and Churches. I found it to be a thought-provoking and challenging read.
One particular quote that interested me in this book is a warning: “Without careful attention, faith-based organizations will inevitably drift from their founding mission.” The authors had some case studies to prove their point. Para church organizations such as Christian Children’s Fund, which eventually became Child Fund International, started out strong with a Christian emphasis, but then came the drift.
The YMCA was another case study. It was founded on Christian principles in England – the Young Men’s Christian Association. By 2010, it had dropped everything in its title but the “Y.” Drift.
Now this should be no surprise to us as God’s people. It happened to Israel, for instance, in the Old Testament. They were called to be a light to the nations of the world, yet by the end of the Old Testament, they were pretty much in survival mode, looking out for themselves instead of reaching to others. It happened in the New Testament Church as well. Some of the Epistles warn against it. In the book of Revelation, we see Jesus chiding various congregations for their drift.
It also happens in today’s Church. We wind up just doing church, going through the motions. There is a loss of vision, a mission creep that happens. Wrong motivations kick in. We start out like gang busters with such good intentions, but years later we’re just trying to survive.
A drift also happens in the life of individual followers of Jesus Christ. When an evangelical emphasis is placed on a personal relationship with Jesus, which is a good thing, we can have a tendency to make Christian faith about me and Jesus – too bad about the rest of the world. We’re all prone to drift.
I want to examine a text from God’s Word that I believe will prove helpful to stave off mission drift and keep us anchored to our purpose. It can help put us on a new trajectory. In fact, because our sense of mission leaks, I recommend you read it on a daily basis.
I’m talking about Psalm 67, which has been referred to by the church as the”Missionary Psalm.” It begins with a prayer, a throwback to a blessing given by Aaron the priest to God’s people on their way to the Promised Land.
May God be gracious to us (extend His favor upon us)
and bless us (provide for our needs),
and make his face shine upon us (keep His eye on us and smile).
So far this prayer doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with what we’ve been talking about. In fact, it sounds quite self-centered. But the Psalm doesn’t end there. It goes on to give the purpose for asking for the blessing.
That your way be known upon the earth,
your saving power among the nations.
The key word in this Psalm is that.
• That your way would be known upon the earth, your saving power among all the nations.
• That all the peoples would praise you.
• That the nations would be glad and sing for joy and enjoy you, God.
• That all the ends of the earth would fear you (which means revere God as the authority).
Lord, bless us so that the nations may be blessed. The prayer is not saying, Bless us so that we can be comfortable, or Bless us so that we don’t have to work so hard to make a living. No. It’s saying, Bless us so that we can be a blessing to all the peoples. It implies that God will bless His people as we bless the nations. The blessings flow through. The world, you see, is God’s concern. You’ve heard the song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”? I think we ought to rewrite it as, He’s Got the Whole World in His Plan.
Psalm 67 actually reflects the promise God made to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). God cares about the whole world. He wants everyone to worship him.
▸ After the rescue from slavery in Egypt, God promised the Israelites, “I have called you to be my treasured possession. If you keep my command, you will be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests among the peoples” (Exodus 19:5-6).
▸ In Isaiah 49:6, He reminds them, “I’ve given you as a light to the nations that my salvation shall reach to the ends of the earth.”
▸ After Jesus turned the Temple upside down in the New Testament, He said, “You have turned my Father’s house into a den of thieves when it was meant to be a house of prayer for the nations.”
▸ He talked of God so loving the world in His conversation with Nicodemus.
▸ In his second letter, Peter says, “The Lord does not wish that anyone should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
▸ John had a vision in Revelation 7:9, “Before me a great nation was gathered, and every tribe and every nation and every tongue under heaven was praising, giving glory to God.”
▸ After Jesus rose from the dead and met with His disciples, He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18, 19).
Do you think God answered the prayer in Psalm 67? Did He keep His promise to bless Abraham with land and descendants, to be a blessing to the nations of the world? You bet He did! He gave Israel land. Abraham’s descendants became a great nation. The family tree in Matthew one explains God’s fulfillment of His promise to make Israel a blessing to the nations of the world. When Jesus Christ entered our world, He did it for Israel and for us – to make us a blessing. He blessed us with the Gospel so that we might be a blessing to the nations of the world.
What is the Gospel? We were once lost in our sinfulness far from God. However, in His love and grace, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world. He lived the perfect life of perfect obedience, which made Him the perfect sacrifice. He was nailed to a cross to pay the penalty for humanity’s sins and restore us in a relationship with our heavenly Father. The promise is sure – that whoever places their trust in Jesus shall have everlasting life and a restored relationship with the God who loves them. This is how we have been blessed.
Let me ask you a personal question today. Have you personally been blessed by the Gospel message in your life? Have you received Jesus Christ? Are you walking in a personal relationship with Jesus? God wants you to have that blessing.
If you have received Christ, your status has been changed. You are no longer part of the mission field. You are now part of God’s missionary force to rescue His world. Psalm 67 is our theme song!
I love what John Piper, another preacher of the gospel, says in regard to this Psalm. “When the psalmist says, ‘Let all the people praise you,’ he means, ‘Let all the peoples know there is one true and living God, and let them stop praising and serving other gods.’ If this were not true (if this were not the true purpose of God), missions would be the most audacious and presumptuous enterprise in the world. But if this is true, then missions are the humble, daring, obedient response of a people who love those who are perishing.
Psalm 67 serves as a reminder to the church, to ministries like Christian Crusaders, and to individual followers such as yourself of our true purpose in life. We are all Christ’s missionaries right where we are. On call. We as the Church of Jesus Christ do not ultimately exist for us. The Church is the only organization that exists for the sake of those who aren’t in it yet. The Church is about those who have yet to come to worship the God who has revealed Himself to us in His Son Jesus Christ.
Our mission and our prayer, as followers of Jesus, could be restated in the words of this Psalm. Lord, bless Your Church that Your Way, Truth, and Life – Jesus Christ – may be known among the earth. That the nations would know Your saving power and trust in Christ. That all the peoples would praise You for what You have done. That everyone would be glad and sing for joy as You reign over us and guide the nations. That all the earth would revere You. That day will come. Your kingdom come. But as we wait, Lord, bless us that we might be a blessing, a shining light, to the nations.
David Platt, a modern-day Christian writer, says, “We are prone, as Christians, to disconnect God’s blessing in our lives from God’s purpose for our lives.”
I came across a story shared by Tony Campolo, who is a preacher I have enjoyed in the past. He tells about attending his ten-year high school reunion and seeing all his old friends.
“My best friend was there. We played basketball together on the team. We ate together every lunch hour going through high school. When we saw each other and started talking, he got all excited and said, ‘The most wonderful thing has happened to me this past year, Tony. I’ve become a Christian!’ He went on and on about what joy he had walking with Christ in his life.
Tony broke in and said, ‘I’m so glad you are a Christian. I’m a Christian too!’
Jerry asked him, ‘When did you become a Christian?’
‘Well, when I was a kid, a child.’
Then Jerry said to Tony, ‘Wait a minute. If you were a Christian when we were in high school together, how come you never told me about Jesus? How come you never introduced me to Christ?’”
Tony didn’t know what to say to him. We are prone to disconnect God’s blessing in our lives from God’s purpose for our lives.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we have been blessed with the most profound life-changing gift and message the world will ever receive. But it needs to not only be protected and enjoyed by ourselves, but also propelled into our neighborhoods, our communities, our workplaces, our broken nation, and our broken world. While you and I need to hear this Gospel story again and again each week when we gather for worship, let us not forget that the society in which we live needs to hear the blessing too.
I am afraid a dangerous drift is happening in the Church of Jesus Christ. A consummeristic attitude is taking over. The Church has become about me and my preferences. Serve me. What will you give me if I join your church? Feed me. See to my comforts. Grow my family and my personal walk with Christ. It’s all about me!
I am reminded of a story I came across about a young kid who was interviewing for a movie usher job. The manager asked during the interview, “Suppose there were a fire – what would you do?” The kid replied, “Don’t worry about me. I’d get out okay!”
This is how we respond sometimes. What would you do if Jesus came back tomorrow? Don’t worry about me. I’d be okay.
BUT YOU’RE AN USHER! It isn’t enough just to get out yourself, you are responsible for helping others get out. Lord help us if we take our eyes off our mission statements. Christian Crusaders is here to proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer of the world. My church at Shepherd of the Valley is here to connect all people to Jesus Christ in a growing relationship with Him. We are to bring all peoples to not only have a saving knowledge of Christ, but also to worship Him. This is the great vision Jesus has given us.
Now, let me get personal with you. Have you personally embraced God’s purpose for your life? Have you said, Yes, Lord. At this particular time and place I am committed to play my part in the great redemptive drama to see that You, my God, are known, praised, enjoyed, and feared among the nations. Are you willing to give generously of your resources to reach others with the Good News of Jesus Christ? Since God has blessed you with so much, are you willing to give it to Him? Are you available?
Ask yourself, Am I prepared to tell the story of Jesus Christ if I were given the opportunity? Am I training myself? Am I walking my neighborhood and praying for my neighbors that they would come to know Christ and be blessed by God? Are you willing to let your desk at work serve as a lighthouse for Jesus Christ?
I recently had a wonderful conversation with a young man who is 22 years old. He told me of the blessings he has been experiencing in his life lately. “I have a great woman whom I love. I have got it a great job. I just love it! Now I’m moving into a house, and I never could have dreamed this would happen for me. My only fear now is I might blow it.” When I asked what he meant, he replied, “I don’t want to get so wrapped up in my blessings that I forget God’s purpose for my life.” I say Amen to that! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to blow it either.
Years ago, my father was coming to town to golf with me. Since I am a terrible golfer, I took a lesson to learn how to drive before he arrived. When the day came, my father had me go first. I took a swing at the ball – and missed it completely. Instead, a spray of ants filled the air.
Dad let me try again. So I took another swing – and there sat the ball. Even more ants were now dead.
As I kneeled down to put my ball back on the tee again, I overheard some noise below me. So I put my ear to the ground and heard two ants talking to each another. “If we’re going to stay alive, we’d better get on the ball.”
Church of Jesus Christ, if you’re going to make a difference moving people toward Christ, if we’re going to stay alive and vital for the cause of Jesus Christ, we’d better get on the ball!
Amen.
Psalm 130
A middle-aged man from my congregation visited me in my office a while back. I could tell something was wrong when he walked in. He looked tired, a little nervous, and a little sad. He said he didn’t know where else to turn. He talked of how he was feeling depressed and overwhelmed by various things going on in his life – everything from work pressures to his aging parents.
I listened as carefully as I could. At one point though, when he mentioned some tension at home, I happened to hit upon the right question, and it came out that his marriage was on the rocks. He confessed he had been unfaithful to his wife of many years. She’d found out and was very angry with him.
At first, he tried to rationalize the relationship and play it down as not a big deal. After all, it wasn’t a physical affair; it was just emotional. Perhaps his wife was just overreacting. Besides, if things were better home, maybe this sort of thing wouldn’t have happened to him. But the more he talked and the more I prodded, it became obvious – this man had a tortured soul. He had done something wrong. He knew it, and he was wallowing in the depths of guilt.
Guilt happens to all of us. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to really mess things up. I am a sinner, and I’m prone to look out for “number one”. I’m full of pride, capable of cutting words, impure thoughts, and selfish actions. Now and then I tell my congregation, If you knew me like I know me, you wouldn’t want to come and hear me preach. But then again, if I knew you like you know you, I probably wouldn’t want to.
Even some of the biggest names in Christianity have had their falling out from grace. They’ve participated in various indiscretions and then tearfully confessed their sins to the public telling how sorry, guilt-ridden, and full of shame they feel. The truth is, however, we are all in the same boat. We all sin.
John has it right when he says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us . . .” (I John 1:8). We all sin, but what we do with our sin is what matters.
Some people try to ignore it. Others act rather flippantly about it. Some rationalize it. Some blame others. Some make comparisons to others (I’m not as bad as that person). All these excuses are dangerous and unwise for our spiritual health. They can pull us down into the depths just like the man I described in the opening paragraphs of this message.
Have you ever been at a place in your life where you felt totally lousy over some sinfulness in your life? Then Psalm 130 is for you. You see, it teaches us a healthy way to handle our sin and guilt.
It begins by turning to God. Listen to the songwriter’s emotional cries to God.
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!”
This man sounds quite miserable as he cries for mercy, doesn’t he. He’s in the depths, he’s depressed, and he’s feeling far from God. He cries out in an agonizing way: God, come on! Hear me. I’m calling out to you! I need your help!
What problem has gotten him to the state that put him into the depths? Is it sickness? I don’t think so. Is it his enemies like in some of the other lament Psalms? No. Listen to these words as he goes on . . .
“If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities (sin), O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”
This psalmist is overcome with guilt and sorrow over his sinfulness. He refers to them as his iniquities. He’s looking for forgiveness.
For a long time, the Church has classified Psalm 130 as a Penitential Psalm. It is assigned to be read during the first Sunday in Lent, which is a season of penitence. It is a prayer for those of us who are repentant over our sins. If you should mark iniquities, he says, If you would keep a record book of all my sins, no one who could stand before you, O God, for we are all sinners! He admits he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.
I’m reminded of Psalm 32, which was written by King David after his affair with Bathsheba. He was emotionally distraught. “When I kept silent about my sins, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For days and nights your hand was heavy upon me. My strength was dried up as in the heat of summer.” He was convicted of his sinfulness.
The Psalm writer has done a very wise thing. He calls to God for forgiveness. “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared,” (feared meaning to be worshiped, revered, and served).
I know you are a forgiving God, he says. This is a faith statement, based on Israel’s long history. God has always proven to be forgiving. He operates with the policy of forgiveness, being slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. This guy knows he ultimately needs God’s forgiveness in his life if he’s going to move on.
Martin Luther placed forgiveness at the center of all God’s gifts. “Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation.” We have a new lease on life; a new life has been breathed into us.
The prayer moves on to express the Psalmist’s affirmation of trust. Having confessed, he says,
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.”
Notice those words – In His Word I hope! Studies of the Psalms say these words are a pronouncement – perhaps made by a Hebrew priest. It is an absolution of sorts after the admission of his need for forgiveness from sin.
Perhaps. Or was the writer was simply reflecting upon God’s promises to always love and forgive. Maybe he was thinking about the past.
I’m reminded of a story about John Wesley, the great founder of Methodism. On May 24, 1738, Wesley was depressed. He had been wrestling with spiritual questions. Was faith alone enough for his salvation? If so, could a man be converted instantaneously?
That afternoon, in the midst of this pondering at London’s St. Paul Cathedral, Wesley heard an anthem sung based on Psalm 130, which opened up his heart. “Out of the depths of long distressed, the borders of despair . . .” Wesley was greatly moved, because this anthem was telling his personal story.
That afternoon he happened to attend a meeting in a chapel on Aldersgate Street, and he heard a reading from the introduction to Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans, which really focused on God’s grace and forgiveness. He reported that he felt his heart strangely warmed. It was a turning moment for him. He had taken the leap from verse one in this Psalm – out of the depths – to verse five – and in his word I hope.
By the way, the word hope doesn’t mean wishful thinking in this context. It means absolute confidence. This song writer is saying, “I have absolute confidence in God’s grace and forgiveness.”
But he also is saying he is waiting. Waiting for what? He is waiting for the Lord to step into his life again, to make His presence known, and to help him face the rest of life with Him, and to be Immanuel, God with us. He’s waiting – “like a watchman waits for the morning.” It’s like a guard on the midnight shift who knows dawn is coming for certain! A new day lies ahead. As sure as the morning sun will rise, you can count on the Lord.
Again, we’re hearing words of trust. A conviction is being voiced in these words. God is actively involved in His creation, and He’s at work in our redemption. He’s not a hands-off God who is far away, who wound up the world and left it to run on its own like an alarm clock. No, He is God with us. Active. Not even the depths of the writer’s despair is out of bounds for this God. Neither heights nor depths nor anything else in all creation can separate him from the love of God.
Finally, as so often happens in these lament Psalms, the psalmist makes an appeal to the people of Israel to turn in repentance and trust God with their lives and their future. Hear these words:
“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love and full redemption.
And he will redeem Israel from all their sins.”
Some biblical scholars have wondered if this Psalm was actually written during the time of Nehemiah when Israel was in exile. Upon hearing that the city of Jerusalem lay in ruins, Nehemiah prayed, cried, fasted, and confessed his and the people’s sins to the Lord asking for God’s forgiveness, redemption, and help.
The picture seems to fit the scenario. After confessing his own sin, the writer turns to Israel. O Israel, hope in the Lord with me. Why? Because with the Lord is steadfast love. God’s love is like the prophet Hosea’s love for his wife. When he discovered she was unfaithful, and he kept loving her anyway, and begged her to come back.
God’s love is like the father in the Prodigal Son parable. Though his son ran away from home and broke his father’s heart, the father kept loving him. When the boy came to his senses and went home, he was welcomed with open arms.
The psalmist says, With Him is plenteous redemption, and He will redeem Israel from all her sins. The word redeem is a marketplace word meaning a payment being made to rescue someone who had fallen into slavery. Israel’s redemption is plenteous. God has plenty of grace to go around, no matter how grave their sin. This Psalm seems to be saying, No matter how deeply you are mired in your guilt and despair, you can cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness. He will redeem you.
This Psalm has a lot of emotional movement. The writer moves from darkness to light, from the depths to the heights, from despair to hope. My dear friend, so can you. This is our Good News. We have forgiveness with God for He has kept His word to redeem Israel (and us). Listen to the words of Zechariah the priest after the birth announcement of John the Baptist. He talks of Jesus, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he has visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68). John the Baptist later cried out, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:28).
Jesus talked of himself as coming to rescue the lost sheep of Israel. Listen to Paul’s words: “He (God) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). Jesus came into the world, lived the perfect life of obedience, and went to the cross while we were lost in our sinfulness. He paid the price for our sins that we might be redeemed. By trusting in Him, we have forgiveness for sins and eternal life.
This Psalm has truth for you and me as we face times of guilt and sorrow over sin. No matter how deep you’ve gotten in over your head, no matter how low your life has sunk, no matter how badly you messed up, you are never out of the range of God’s love and forgiveness. Turn to Him, for with Him there is forgiveness.
I encourage you to consider the last line of this Psalm as a personal invitation to confess and receive forgiveness and redemption. You can put your own name in there. O Israel (O Steve, O Bill, O Mary, O Dorothy), put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is steadfast love and full redemption. And the Lord will redeem you from all your sins. Trust in that one.
By the way, the man I talked about earlier asked God for forgiveness that day, and he asked Jesus to help him in his marriage. We prayed together, he confessed his sins to God, and when we opened our eyes, I pronounced absolution. He had tears in his eyes. As he walked out of my office, he felt relieved and was ready to put his marriage together with God’s help. Then he went home to ask for forgiveness from his wife. God is working with him and his wife to this day to rebuild their marriage.
Praise God for his plenteous redemption.
Amen.
John 18:33-38
All who believe in Jesus Christ are part of the Kingdom of God. That kingdom is not a political entity nor a geographic turf of ground here on earth. The Kingdom of God is everywhere Jesus is allowed to rule.
Theologically we talk about God being omnipresent – everywhere present at the same time. But in Revelation 3:20, it says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” The one place Jesus is present by invitation only is the sphere of the human heart.
Jesus expresses His love and devotion to us as the Savior who has come to rescue us and reunite us with our heavenly Father. He seeks access to our life through His presence in our lives. When we say, “Come in, Lord Jesus,” we are inviting Jesus as King to rule in us. So the Kingdom of God is an invisible kingdom embedded into the world everywhere a believer in Christ lives.
How does one enter this Kingdom of God? I am a grandpa, so I watch children’s movies. Recently I again watched C. S. Lewis’ tale from the classic series The Chronicles of Narnia. The first movie, based on the books he wrote in the series, is called, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” It documents the story of four children in England who discover the Kingdom of Narnia. The port of entry is a wardrobe closet in a big, old, country house. They enter the Kingdom of Narnia where Aslan, the lion, rules, and they try to regain the kingdom from a witch who has kept the kingdom in continual winter for hundreds of years.
It is a fascinating story. We, however, do not enter a fantasy kingdom alluding to God’s power. We enter the reality of God’s kingdom through Jesus Christ Himself. Remember when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and said, “We know you are from God for no one could do the extraordinary things you do except he’s from God. No one can speak with the eloquence you speak unless he has the wisdom of God. How does one enter the Kingdom of God?” Then Jesus told him, “You must be born again. . . . You must be born of water and the Spirit” (John 2:2-5).
By faith, the power of God births us into the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus. Christian baptism is an entrance into this grace by the initiative of God. Not unlike the incarnation of Jesus, God radically comes in His initiative to bring us into His kingdom. Perhaps the suitable analogy would be adoption. The power of God initiates the relationship, pays for the adoption, and binds the Father to the adopted child in a legal covenant.
Yet, even in this analogy of Christian baptism, the child can grow up to reject the Father and run from the privilege of all it means to be a part of that family. Romans chapter five tells us, “Having been justified by our faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his name we have access to this grace in which we live.” So it is by faith in Jesus that we enter this kingdom of grace.
Jesus Himself said, “I am the door. Anyone who enters through me shall go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). Remember the thief who hung dying on the cross? He turned to Jesus and addressed Him as if He were a ruler for the future. Although he also was dying on the cross, the thief said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).
Luther said in the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, “We pray, ‘thy kingdom come’ and God’s kingdom indeed comes without our praying. But in this prayer, we pray Jesus’ kingdom would come to us.’” The port of entry into the kingdom of God is the person of Jesus Himself, and our surrender to Jesus, receiving Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior.
What does it mean then for us to swear allegiance to Jesus as King, and what does it mean for us to be kingdom people in today’s world? I want to talk about three things that mark Jesus’ reign as King and have implications for us as kingdom people.
When we say Jesus is all-powerful as Lord, He is my King, and I am a part of His kingdom, we usually think of that as elevating our lives to a position of privilege. Indeed it is. But usually we define that full privilege in terms of earthly material goods or freedom from the difficulties of this world. What does it mean that Jesus ruled from a cross, what does it mean that Jesus rode a donkey, and what does it mean that Jesus as King washed dirty feet?
First, to say Jesus rules from a cross means we have placed our trust in the crucified Messiah. The whole of the kingdom of God is based on a foundation of forgiveness and grace. It is not on the basis of performance or perfection, but on the promise of the King. He forgives all His people. They belong to Him by virtue of His favor flowing from the heart of God.
A man came into my office one day with a great need to unburden himself. It was almost like a sick person emptying his stomach as he confessed. He was in deep trouble. His marriage was struggling, he was in danger of losing the family farm because of a number of flawed financial decisions, and recently he had gone on a fishing trip and ended up in bed with a woman. The stress of the farm finances had led him to get high on drugs a number of times.
In the midst of his confession of immoral choices and what he knew was wrong, he paused and looked at me. We locked eyes and he said, “Can Christ forgive me?” We talked then about how that was the reason the good Lord came. That is why Jesus, who was King, emptied Himself of His power and glory and became willing to be obedient to death on the cross – so sinners like you and I could gladly receive the promise of grace and new beginnings. So we could repent of our sins and walk fresh, hand-in-hand, with Jesus as our Lord.
The man got up from our prayer time believing Jesus had forgiven Him. Filled with hope in the kingdom of Jesus based on forgiving grace, he went home to work to repair his marriage and save his farm.
As we live with our hearts’ allegiance to Jesus as King, we lead with the same grace toward others that we have received from Christ. We lead with love, not judgment. We lead with love, not the law. It also means that, as God on the cross embraces us in our darkest moments of struggle and suffering, we should also offer grace, sensitivity, and compassion to people we encounter.
I’m struck with a phrase Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, wrote in the leaf of his Bible. “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.”
Second, we remember Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem. We, as kingdom people, are to likewise move through life in humility, the same humility Jesus showed when He lived in our world. Humility means we recognize our proper position in relation to God, and we submit to divine grace and power. We live with self-restraint from vanity or self absorption or arrogance. We realize our smallness in the presence of God’s greatness. That’s what Paul wrote about when he said, “Have the same love, being of the same spirit and purpose. Have the same mind as Jesus. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others before yourself. Look to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:1-4).
What does a life of humility look like? It means no task is too demeaning or beneath my dignity. It means I live with no notion of superiority over others. I lose all sense of entitlement. My life holds no place for arrogance, and I live in a continual awareness of my dependency upon Jesus’ grace. Meekness is not weakness; rather, it is strength under the control of Christ.
Thirdly, we follow Jesus the King, who washed His disciples’ feet. As kingdom people, we serve others in love as Jesus has served us.
My six-year-old granddaughter, Ruby, who plays summer baseball, recently got a hit. Her good friend was playing second base on the opposing team, so as she ran from first to second, Ruby paused to hug her friend before she continued to run the bases.
Maybe we’d do well to carry ourselves with the same kind of loving kindness instead of being so driven and competitive in how we live every day. We need to serve others in love. Henri Nouwen said, “Often we speak about love as if it is a feeling. But if we wait for a feeling of love before loving, we may never learn to love well. The feeling of love is beautiful and life-giving, but our loving cannot be based in that feeling. To love is to think, speak, and act according to the spiritual knowledge that we are infinitely loved by God and called to make that love visible in this world.”
We live in a world that says we only need to love people who have proven they are worthy of love or have enough value in our eyes that we would show them love. But Jesus says we should unconditionally show love to everybody in the same way God has loved us.
What does serving other people in love look like? It means we would pray for them, bear their burdens, listen with compassion and sensitivity, offer them encouragement, see the good in them and draw it out by our affirmation. Each day we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us so we shine with the love of Jesus as we relate to others.
Where should we show that love? I encourage you to begin by showing it to people who are closest to you in life. Often we can show kindness, patience, and forbearance to people we don’t even know, but then treat those with whom we share life – our family or spouse – surly and grumpy, not with kindness or respect, dignity or love.
I like what preacher Andy Stanley said, “Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do but someone you raise.” Serving others in love and offering the same forgiving grace and reconciliation God has given us is a powerful way for us to live as kingdom people.
As you live day to day as people of King Jesus, never forget He lives to serve you. He rules from the cross to pour out grace greater than all your mistakes and failures. He lives in humility to serve your needs in love every day. Live with confidence as kingdom people that God would use your life to bless others, because you have a life bonded to Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Psalm 19
Within every human soul is a longing for God, a longing to get close to God, to know God, and to know of God and His will for one’s life. Augustine once eloquently said, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee.”
So where can a person learn about God? How does God reveal Himself to us? We sing in a hymn that He’s immortal and invisible, God only wise whose light is inaccessible and hid from our eyes. He seems so hidden.
Psalm 19 tells us God is not hiding. He has made Himself known and continues to make Himself known to us. The writer, David, marvels and rejoices in Psalm 19 that God reveals Himself to us so we can get to know Him. This psalm has three stanzas.
In the first stanza, David points us to the beauty and wonder of nature. He says, The magnificent creation testifies of God who made it and continues to maintain it. The focus here is not on all of nature but on the heavens, the sky. He writes “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord (glory meaning His power, wisdom, and greatness) and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
God’s witness to Himself has three characteristics.
-
It is continual. Day after day, night after night, it gives its witness.
-
It is abundant. It pours out speech. The image of the word used here is an image of a gushing spring, fresh and new every day.
-
It is visual and universal. With sight instead of sound, its message penetrates to the very ends of the earth of the glory and reality of God. The sun is described as a major spokesman to the praise of God using dramatic imagery of a bridegroom leaving his chamber or an athlete running his daily course across the sky so nothing is hidden from its heat.
The first stanza has been described as a general revelation of God. Nature is telling the glory of God to all. It is giving praise and witness to the Designer so all can see. The Apostle Paul talks of this general revelation in Romans pointing out that human beings cannot plead ignorance of God since He never ceases to give revelation of Himself to all people everywhere in what He has made.
Sue Monk Kidd, a Christian writer tells this story: “One August night my children dragged me to the backyard to watch a meteor show in the sky. I reluctantly joined them thinking, ‘I have so many details to tend to before we leave on vacation. I don’t have time for such idleness.’ Suddenly a golden fireball streaked across the blackness. ‘God made this,’ I whispered. It was a rare moment, not because of the sight but because I stepped beyond my familiar world into one of wonder and described the Creator in the midst. Could it be God filled the world with such beauty to lift people like me away from our obsession with details to touch our lives with the magnificent awareness of Himself?”
Both David and Paul would say Amen! to that.
In the next stanza (verses 7 to 11), David moves from the beauty and wonder of nature to the beauty and wonder of Scripture. God’s supreme revelation of Himself is the Torah, the Law, the Old Testament Scripture, which reveals God’s greatness, goodness, His ways, and His will for His people. David tells us that it helps us to know what pleases this God who has rescued us. It expresses the will of the One we want to please so we know what to do for Him. Jesus, one time, said the same sort of thing as the disciples tried to give Him lunch. He said, “My food is to do the will of my Father, to live out the Word of God” (John 4:34). The songwriter says obedience is not about earning His favor, it is a way of expressing our love for the God who has shown us favor.
By the way, God’s name changes in this section in the way in which David refers to Him. In the first stanza, He’s called El, which means God of Creation. In the second stanza, David uses the name YHWH (Yahweh). This is a covenant name meaning, God rescued His people, made Israel His own, and gave them His commandments. So in this second stanza, David describes the beauty of Yahweh’s Word – the Bible. It’s perfect, like God. It’s sure like God; it’s right like God; it’s pure like God; it’s clean like God; it’s enduring like God; it’s true like God.
Then David lists the wonderful things the Bible can do for a person. It revives the soul. It contains life-giving power and vitality for the individual. It makes the simple wise. It teaches us how life works best. It rejoices the heart as it reveals God and His love for us. It brings joy to our lives as we read of forgiveness and get direction. It cleanses us as it convicts us of our sinfulness, brings about repentance, and delivers God’s mercy. It enlightens the eyes. It helps us see the truth about God. By its commands we are warned and dangers are avoided. It brings reward, assurance, and character growth.
David then declares that the Bible is the most valuable thing a person could ever have. It is more desired than gold, even much fine gold. If you have a choice between the Word of God and gold, choose the Word of God! If you have a choice between fine gold and the Word of God, choose the Word of God. The benefits of knowing and doing the Word of God are greater than all that money can buy. It is sweeter than the finest honey in the world. It is something to be delighted in.
John Piper, a terrific Bible scholar and preacher of the gospel, once said something very profound about the value of God’s Word and how it can help us. He said, “God understands you better than anyone else. He knows how people get to the way they are, and how they are affected by their surroundings. God understands societies and groups perfectly. God knows all facts about how the world works. He knows the future and how everything will come out in the end. God is wiser than any wise writer. God is more caring than any counselor. God is more creative than any poet or artist. It simply stands to reason that what God says in His Word will be more useful to us than what anyone else in the universe has to say. Not to sit at His feet and soak our minds with His wisdom is sheer craziness, if not suicidal.”
I am reminded of the words of Jesus: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31). In regard to the Old Testament, Jesus said, “I came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it” (Matt. 5:17). The Apostle Paul’s last instructions to Timothy were to keep reading and preaching the Word of God to the people. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16).
The Word of God awakened Martin Luther and brought about the life-changing and history-changing Reformation. Luther was so convinced of its importance, he translated it from Latin into the vernacular of his day so the common person could read it.
The blood of many has been sacrificially poured out in history to get the Word of God into people’s hands. Why? Because it’s so valuable for the human soul. It revives it. It gives life and direction that we cannot find elsewhere. God reveals Himself and His will for us in His perfect Word. David is telling us in this Psalm that the Bible is not something to be treated as a trifle in our lives. It is to be opened, read, studied, meditated upon, and put to work in our daily living. It is valuable!
The Psalm ends with a prayer. The Psalmist gets personal. Some surmise this last stanza is about the Psalmist, having reflected upon the glory and perfection of God’s creation in His Word, seems to now have a sense of sinfulness. It’s been evoked in him. He is seeking forgiveness for his past sins and protection from future rebelliousness against God. Like the creation and the Word, David wants to stand before God without blemish. He desires to walk innocently before God.
Perhaps that is correct. Another thought, though, (keeping in line with the Psalm) is these are words of surrender as he submits himself to reading Scripture with a humble spirit. He humbles himself before God and says, God, show me my sins in your Word and forgive me. Show me Your ways in Your word so I can walk innocently before You. When push comes to shove, Lord, I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be acceptable in Your sight, for You are my Rock and my Redeemer.
David could be saying, As I study Your Word, may it come to pass that my words and thoughts from now on would forever be pleasing to you Lord. I want my life to give you glory.
It’s a great Psalm. Christian writer C. S. Lewis calls this Psalm the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.
Finally, had David been around long enough to see another revelation, he would have certainly added a fourth stanza. God ultimately revealed Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. John announced in his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14).
The Gospel of Luke tells us that the multitude of angels in the heavens at Christ’s birth were declaring the glory of God as a witness to the shepherds in their fields. John ends chapter 1 by saying, “No one has ever seen God, but the only Son who is at the Father’s right hand, has made him known (John 1:18).” Jesus has made God known. He has made His redeeming love known as the Son of God who was born into this world, walked in perfect obedience to His heavenly Father, lived the perfect life, then gave His life up on a cross to pay for the sinfulness of you and me. He promised that all who place their trust in Him shall have eternal life, know God personally, and one day see Him face-to-face. This God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
Friends, if you want to know God – the immortal, invisible God – He’s not hiding from us. He wants you to know Him. I encourage you, then, to not only enjoy the sunrises and the sunsets, but to allow God to show His unmerited favor. Ask Jesus Christ into your life to rescue you and lead you for the rest of your life. Then open His Word, which is much more valuable than the finest gold, and let Him speak into your life. You won’t regret this. You’ll be more than glad you opened your life to Him and His Word.
God bless you in your walk with Christ and His holy Word. May it speak loudly into your life and bless you.
Amen.
Psalm 121
A number of weeks ago, our church’s prayer team held a sendoff for a missionary from our congregation who was headed to the Congo to work with Gideons International. As he described the trip, it occurred to me that a lot of things could go wrong, not to mention the challenges of life in the Congo with poverty and politics that are awry. It’s quite tense, I am told.
I had been asked to give a devotion before the prayers for this faithful servant of Christ, and after hearing what he was facing on his trip, I decided at the last moment to read Psalm 121. The reason is it is a Traveller’s Psalm and was written for anxious servants of God who are on the road.
Heaven knows, we’ve all experienced an anxious moment or two when we’re on a trip, haven’t we? As you get into the car, fasten your seatbelt and get ready to turn on the ignition, you wonder, Will we get there safely and on time? Did I shut all the windows in the house? Is the car going to hold up? What’s that funny noise under the hood? I’ve never noticed it before. What kind of weather will be traveling in? What will traffic be like? One can have a little anxiety.
Our Psalm for today is called a “Psalm of Ascent.” It was a song the Israelites sang as they set off for their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which was the high point of the country for the worship festivals.
I invite you to use your imagination as we look at this Psalm today. Picture a family gathered around the outside of their home with their relatives. They are about to leave on a trip, their pilgrimage. The father of this departing family says, “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my hope come from?”
A bit of anxiety is being expressed in this first verse. They had to go through hill country, which had its dangers and various potholes so to speak along the way. Jesus talked about the Jericho Road, for instance, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Those hills were filled with robbers. They also had pagan shrines on top of them where nonbelievers would turn to for help and good luck along life’s way. These pilgrims who were headed to Jerusalem might be tempted when troubles hit to turn to those idols for extra good luck just in case of trouble. And so the singer asks, Who is going to help them along the way? “Where does my hope come from?”
Then he makes this marvelous faith statement: “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
The Lord is going to help me, of course! He made the heavens and the earth. The One who made everything in the world and in the heavens is able to watch over me and care about me. The all-powerful Lord is so big, I can count on Him.
Perhaps, as he thinks of the Lord, He is remembering amazing stories from the Torah he learned as a child, such as the Exodus when God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt against all odds. Or perhaps he’s thinking of the Israelites traveling forty years in the wilderness toward the Promised Land. God watched over their Hebrew ancestors as He led them, provided for them, and protected them along the way.
Of course, you and I, as followers of Jesus, remember the rescue Jesus carried out for us at the cross to save us from sin and death and the power of the devil. We also look at His continuing provision and His presence in our lives as the Holy Spirit provides us with what we need along the way.
The lines that follow the opening are words of assurance. They were probably spoken by someone else standing in that crowd like the grandfather or an elder. Maybe even the family as a whole recited it. As they are seeing them off, in answer to that question, they say, “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.”
Where is the confidence to be found? God! He . . . He . . . He.
He will not – He who keeps – He who watches.
This is a job description of God’s tireless care: He watches. He keeps. It is used six times. This all-powerful God is not just our Creator, He is ever watching over us. God never sleeps. The One who has had His eye on His people Israel over history, never, ever sleeps.
I am reminded of Elijah, the prophet, at his showdown at Mt. Carmel with the priests of the Baal gods. And they’re trying to get their gods to light the sacrificial fire to prove their reality. Of course, the fire’s not getting lit. What does Elijah say to them? Huh! Your gods must be asleep. You see Israel’s God never sleeps. He’s always at full attention!
Then our singers move to the thought, The Lord is your keeper. He moves us from the nation (the keeper of Israel), to the person (the individual). The One who watches Israel and never sleeps is your keeper. Therefore I, belonging to God, can sleep knowing God never does. I am never out of His sight. I can rest in God’s tireless care, because He never rests.
The song moves on. “The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” This describes God as our protector. As you walk through the heat of the desert, the cold of the night in the desert, I will be your shade at your right hand, God promises.
The right hand is a phrase that’s used to describe the champion who comes alongside you. I will be there for you; I will be your shade.
I was recently on a walk with my new grandson, Henry, who is nine months now. He was in a stroller and mom was pushing him along. It was a nice Sunday afternoon. On the way home, the sun started beating down on that little guy, so I came along his right side providing him shade the rest of the way so he wouldn’t get sunburned or be uncomfortable.
The songwriter tells us our heavenly Father is willing to do that for us. The song says He is there to come alongside us as our champion, through any danger we may face.
I am reminded of a familiar line from Amazing Grace. “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” He is there with His grace.
The singer finishes by expanding the picture a bit in the last two lines of the Psalm. He’s not talking just about this particular journey but all of life’s journey. In fact, the Lord will keep you from all evil. Does that mean life will be trouble-free along the way? No, of course not. You and I know some days are dark. We need to lay Psalm 121 alongside the psalms of lament, when life is tough and we cry out. Remember that line in Psalm 23: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me . . .”
Life has its shadowy moments, its valleys. Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us from evil.” We, as followers of Jesus, know that the life of faith does not exempt us from stubbing our toes along the way, or injuries, or illnesses, or accidents, or distress. But we have the assurance that none of these things can separate us from God’s purposes in our lives, God’s care for us.
I like what Eugene Peterson wrote about this Psalm in his book, “A Long Obedience.” He writes, “All the water in all the oceans cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside. Nor can all the trouble in the world harm us unless it gets within us.” That is the promise of this Psalm. The Lord will keep you from all evil means none of the trouble you encounter has the power to get between you and God. He will keep your life.
Jesus said one time, “Nothing can snatch you from the hand of the good Shepherd.” He was talking about more than a little journey, now. He was talking about your whole life in Him.
The last line is a wonderful statement. “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.” In all your daily comings and goings, God is keeping watch over you. You have His attention. Pious Jews, even today, as they leave or enter their house or a room in the house, touch a little box called the Mezuzah. Inside of it is a piece of paper inscribed with Deuteronomy 6:4-9, the great Shema, and they recite the last line of Psalm 121 as they depart from the room. “The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.” Words of reassurance. God is watching; God is keeping me. Nothing will snatch me from His hand. All the way to forevermore into eternity.
It reminds me of another sojourner named Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, who did a lot of traveling as a missionary for Jesus. He said that no perils that we face along the way – neither death, nor life, nor powers . . . nor anything else in all creation – will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. That is our good news.
Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who is the Creator, who was watching over me, who keeps me.
Now how does this apply to our lives? Well first of all, it’s a nice Psalm to read before you go on a trip or before the plane takes off. In fact, I encourage you to memorize this Psalm. Keep it tucked away in your heart for those times when you don’t have a Bible with you. When faced with a personal crisis and you need a reassuring word from God, call on this one.
This Psalm also moves us toward a wider application, the whole lifetime of a person. The life journey we’re on is talked about in the movement of this Psalm. In Christ, we are sojourners on our way toward our heavenly home, to our Father. And this Psalm serves as good news words of encouragement as we follow Jesus along the way.
The church has picked up on this throughout its history. Interestingly, the church used this Psalm at baptisms in our Lutheran liturgies of the past as the journey begins with Jesus. In The Lutheran Occasional Services Book, it is also used when ministering to those who are addicted. We are told to use this Psalm for people who need assurance on the road to sobriety, or when facing any struggle for that matter and need a reassuring reminder that God is watching over you.
For the final part of our life, it’s of great use and comfort for us. In my research and study of this Psalm, I came across a story told by Dr. James Limburg. He writes about another way in which this Psalm has functioned in the lives of God’s people, a final scene. It was told by a woman and her son. “Her father, his grandfather, lay dying, full of years after months of illness. They all knew the end was near. There was some anxiety as this aged traveller was about to set out on the final stretch of his journey. In that moment of anxiety, like an Israelite anticipating the journey to Jerusalem, like countless brothers and sisters in the faith about to set out for somewhere, his daughter and grandson heard him repeat the Traveller’s Psalm, which he knew by heart: ‘I will lift mine eyes unto the hills – from whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord.’”
We use this Psalm at funeral services as we’re reminded of the resurrection hope. I use the final line – He watches over our comings and goings for evermore – to reassure, encourage, and remind the widow or widower that, as they continue life without that spouse at their side, they are not alone as they continue their own life pilgrimage.
Dear friend, life has its challenges as we take the trip through it. It has peaks and valleys; it is smooth and it has potholes along the way. Where are you looking for help in your journey? That’s my question for you today. This Traveller’s Psalm says there is but one sure place to find help. It’s the Lord. Trust in God; He’s watching over you. Turn to Him. Surrender to His care.
As I consider the opening question of the Psalm 121 – looking to the hills, where does my hope come from – I can’t help but think of another hill in particular where an old rugged cross stands, reminding us that this God loves us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and save us from our sins. On the other side of another hill stands an empty tomb with the stone rolled away where God raised Jesus from the dead so we might have eternal life with Him. He is faithful! Amen?
My help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth and rescued me through His Son, Jesus Christ, so that I might walk with Him and seek His help along the way toward my promised eternal home.
He is with you, watching over you, holding you forever. Trust Him. If you need help, help is here. He’s got His eye on you, so keep your eye on Him.
Amen.
Psalm 16
If someone were to ask you why you stick with God and keep following Jesus, how would you respond? This is a question I believe Satan loves to throw at each one of us now and then. His mission is to destroy our relationship with God in Christ, and he has a variety of tricks to chip away at it. Sometimes he throws diversions our way. Why don’t you pursue other things? Success, pleasures, prosperity – there’s nothing wrong with that. They will make you very happy.
Satan is right, in a way – these are good things God has given us. But Satan knows we as human beings have a tendency to make idols of good things, which can take over our lives. For instance, work and success. Work is good, but it can easily take over life and push God out to the periphery. Or money. There is nothing wrong with money; it provides us with a good standard of living. However, Scripture points out that the love of money is very dangerous and can pull us away from God as it becomes our idol.
Sometimes Satan uses pleasurable alternatives. He makes sin look attractive. For instance, when Eve in the Garden of Eden said, “God said we can’t eat of this fruit; it’ll be our death,” Satan replied, That won’t happen. God’s just holding out on you. You can be like God. Go ahead; take a bite.
Or when Jesus told His disciples on the road to Jerusalem that He was going to die a horrific death on a cross, Peter objected. Jesus then said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” What an interesting thing to say to His friend! Jesus heard the voice of the Temper in Peter’s voice saying, Take the easy way, Jesus. Try doing things my way. Don’t go to the cross. Don’t fulfill God’s plan. Turn away from God’s way. It could be so much easier for you.
Another tool Satan uses is adversity. When a tragedy or miserable situation strikes in your life, he whispers, What’s the point of sticking with God now? He has disappointed you, hasn’t He? Why waste any further time with Him? I suggest looking for help elsewhere. He’s not the real deal. I think of the misery that hit Job, and his wife then telling him to curse God.
I’ve watched people struggle with God when tragedy hits. People say things to them like, I can’t believe you’re hanging onto your faith after all this has happened to you!
Such was the case with the writer of Psalm 16, David. I believe this Psalm has something to teach us for when we’re tempted to turn away from God. It can serve as a shield, a cover. It can be a refuge from trusting in anything other than the God who loves us. It reminds us where real joy and pleasure is to be found.
Psalm 16 begins as a petition. “Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” A crisis is happening. Some scholars surmise that the story behind this Psalm is found in First Samuel 26. David has been under attack by King Saul, who has been insanely jealous of David’s popularity ever since he killed the giant, Goliath. Saul has been trying to kill David, and has chased him around in the wilderness for years. This had to have been a miserable life for David.
In the book of First Samuel chapter 26, we see an episode where David has an opportunity to kill Saul in his sleep, but he doesn’t. What a temptation it must’ve been as David’s partner encouraged him, Come on. Take his life now. Get this over with and stop running. It’s a shortcut. But because David wanted to remain obedient to God and not harm the Lord’s Anointed, the King, he lets him live. He believes God will take care of Saul in the end.
So David takes Saul’s spear and a jar of water sitting next to Saul’s head as he slept. Then he went a distance away from the camp and shouts to Saul’s general and the troops from atop a hill, “You are terrible watchmen and guards of the King! Where is the king’s spear and water jar? I had the opportunity to kill Saul, but I didn’t.”
Saul then asks, “Is that you, David?”
David answers, “Saul, why are you so set on killing me? Why are you chasing me around? Your own men have driven me out into the wilderness that I should have no share in the Lord’s heritage, and they’ve told me to go, serve other gods.”
Notice the words – Go serve other gods. Maybe these words were spoken by his enemies or by people on his side. They must have been quite tempting to David. Life hadn’t exactly worked out as God promised when David was secretly anointed to be the next King of Israel. He had spent years living as a fugitive and was tired of dodging Saul and his army. It had to have crossed his mind to just give up on God and worship other gods.
David is not only under a physical attack by Saul as he prays, “Preserve me,” but also under spiritual attack by Satan who is saying, Why do you insist on sticking with God? Look elsewhere to the other gods for building your life. For David, it meant idol worship. In our day, idols include money, possessions, people, power, and pleasure.
This was a critical juncture in David’s life. He has two paths to choose from – God or elsewhere. Maybe you’ve been at a critical juncture like that in your own life. In this Psalm, though, we see David standing firm as he says, I won’t have anything to do with that sort of thing. I won’t join those who run after other gods. It is nothing but trouble and sorrow. It’s a dead end. David is sticking with God. You are my Lord. You are my Lord, my boss, my leader, my God. Why can he say that? Because God has stuck with him.
David then proceeds to count the blessings of life he has experienced with God. “I have no good apart from you.” He enumerates. In you I have the delight of being part of your community. The holy ones who follow you are my inspiration, my supporters, my encouragement. It could be just like someone said to me not too long ago, “I just don’t know where I’d be without my church. I love my church. It’s been such a support to me.”
When push comes to shove, David says he will choose God every time. “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup.” And he says to God, “You hold my lot,” meaning my lot in life. You take care of my welfare. You are the source of my contentment. “In you I have a goodly heritage.”
I’m reminded of Martin Luther’s words in his first article to the Small Catechism: “God has given me all that I have – food and clothing, home and family, daily work, all I need from day-to-day. He protects me. All this He does out of fatherly and divine goodness and mercy.” This is what David is saying. God has not only provided me with what I need for daily life, but when I am mixed up and confused, God blesses me with good counsel. He shows me His way and how to live life His way.
He instructs me through His Word. At night, even my heart instructs me. The picture we have is of David as he meditates upon the Word. He is lying in bed with the Word – the promises of God – rolling around. He hands all his fears and concerns from the day over to God and says, I am going to rest in the Lord.
What you do before you go to bed at night, folks? David says, “I keep the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Being at His right hand means He’s my advocate, my champion, the warrior who comes alongside of me and defends me in the battles of life. That’s why you can rest sleep at night. That’s why your body can rest, and your heart and your soul are glad.
On top of all this, David has a great promise. He says, “You do not abandon my soul to Sheol or let your faithful one see corruption.”
Does David believe in the Resurrection? Some scholars argue over this line. Yet we see the Apostle Peter using this verse in Acts 2:25-28, his first sermon on Pentecost. Peter called this verse a prophecy of King David. Jesus, the son of David as people called Him, fulfilled this prophecy by being raised victoriously from death, the first fruits of the resurrection. By trusting in Jesus Christ, we have the promise of eternal life. With David in this Psalm, we say, You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, to death! You have defeated death. You hold me in the palm of Your hand for eternity! In Christ, I have a life that is eternal. Amen to that!
“You show me the path of life.” You give me your wisdom, O God, and you reveal what’s good for me and what’s not good for me. You’ve made it very clear in your Word, and in your presence, as I live with you on a daily basis, Lord, there is fullness of joy. Walking with you, I’ve received the joy of knowing you and being known by you, and it’s nothing but joy.
Then David sums it up, “In your right hand are pleasures for evermore” because I have You to thank for these blessings.
These words are illustrated in a story I came across a while back. Christopher Parkening is considered to be the world’s greatest classical guitarist. He achieved his musical dreams by the age of 30, and by then he was a world-class fly-fishing champion. However, his success failed to bring him happiness. Weary of performing and recording sessions, Parkening bought a ranch out in Montana and gave up the guitar.
However, instead of finding happiness after getting away from it all, his life became increasingly empty. He wrote, “If you arrive at a point in your life where you have everything you’ve ever wanted and thought it would make you happy, and it still doesn’t, then you begin to question things. It’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And I thought, That is what’s left? What’s left?”
While visiting friends, Parkening attended church with them. He put his faith in Jesus Christ and developed a hunger for the Scriptures. He struck by I Corinthians 10:31, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Now he explains, “I realized I could only do two things: fly-fish for trout and play the guitar. Well, I am playing the guitar today absolutely by the grace of God.” And he is playing for God. “I have a joy, a peace, and a deep down fulfillment in my life I’ve never had before. My life has a purpose. I’ve learned firsthand the true secret of genuine happiness.” That’s what David seems to be saying in this Psalm. I’ve learned firsthand the secret of true happiness.
I love this Psalm, because it reminds me of the blessings I’ve receive through walking in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Why stick with God? If this question is ever rolling around in your head – maybe when times are bad or you’re being tempted to pursue other things in life – turn to Psalm 16 first. Read it, and review the blessings David lays out for us as followers of God in Christ. Better yet, do what Jesus did: pray this Psalm on a regular basis.
I encourage you to count your own blessings. Maybe even write your own Psalm. You could do that. Begin it by saying, “Lord, I’m sticking with you because . . .” and then list your blessings.
Maybe someone is listening today who is not connected to Jesus Christ. You have not tasted the grace of God in your life. This Psalm, I hope, serves as an attraction for you. I encourage you to take a step toward Christ. Ask Him into your life, to take over. He is waiting to give you these blessings I have just described from David’s mouth. Experience firsthand the secret of true happiness – being in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Amen!
Psalm 27
Sometimes life can feel like a real battleground. We may even ask each other, So how goes the battle? The battle may be health related, such as cancer or a chronic disease or a mental affliction like depression. Sometimes the battle is people related: a battle of wills between child and parents, employer and employee, teacher and student, handling critics, or facing opposition. The battle may even be spiritual. You are attempting to serve the Lord where He has placed you, and you are struggling. Maybe your battles are with temptations; You are under spiritual attack from Satan. Sometimes it’s life’s circumstances that have been thrown our way. These battles can wear us out and cause us great anxiety and fear, and we find ourselves wondering where we can turn for help.
Two years ago, Scott Stossel wrote an article in The Atlantic magazine in which he openly shared his lifelong attempts to deal with the anguish of anxiety. From an early age, he’s been what he calls “a twitchy bundle of phobias, fears and neuroses.” He writes, “Even when I’m not actively afflicted by acute episodes of anxiety, I am buffeted by worry. . . . Here’s what I’ve tried to deal with my anxiety: individual psychotherapy (three decades of it); family therapy, group therapy, cognitive- behavioral therapy, and fifteen other therapies. And medication. Lots of medication. Thorazine. Imipramine. Desipramine. Chlorpheniramine. Nardil. And twenty others. Also: beer, wine, gin, bourbon, vodka, and scotch. . . . Here’s what worked: NOTHING.”
Today we’re looking at an Old Testament battle song for times when we feel anxious and afraid. Described by many as one of the best known and comforting Psalms in the Bible, it is a song attributed to King David, the warrior king of Israel who faced many battles and threats in his life.
In Psalm 27, David shows us he has some real reasons for being afraid. His life was being threatened; he talks of evildoers who want to devour him and wreak havoc on his life. He talks of adversaries and foes – people who are opposed to him. He talks of an army encamped against him wanting to make war on him and take his life. He talks of feeling as if his mother and father have forsaken him. I am alone, he saying.
False witnesses say bad things about him, wrecking his reputation, making accusations against him. Perhaps even his own men were questioning him or passing on rumors that ruined his leadership credibility.
David had plenty of negatives to cause him great anxiety. Yet in the midst of this, he says I will not fear. I will not be afraid. I will be confident. Where does one find confidence to say that? Is his confidence in himself and his strength as a leader? Is it confidence in his abilities? No. It comes from confidence in the Lord – faith!
The first few verses of this Psalm actually sound like self talk. He is speaking the truth to himself, cultivating confidence as he readies himself to pray in the last half of this song. It is David’s picture of God, and we get to see it as he opens.
Note the personal pronouns. The Lord is my light; the Lord is my salvation; the Lord is the stronghold of my life. It’s all very personal! A relationship with God is meant to be personal. One of the metaphors he uses is light. The image of light is very positive in Scripture. Light illuminates the darkness of trouble or danger. It is associated with truth, power, goodness, and vitality in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus called Himself the Light of the world. “Darkness has not overcome it,” the Gospel writer John tells us.
David goes on – My salvation. Salvation meaning He who gives me victory, my Rescuer, the One who delivers me. I’m reminded of Luther’s second article to the small catechism as he talks about Jesus. “He has rescued me from sin and death and the power of the devil.” And then David says, He is the stronghold of my life, which means my refuge, my fortress, my mighty Fortress to whom I can run for shelter.
What’s behind this confident proclamation about God? It’s past help David has received from God. He is speaking from personal experience. Maybe his match with the giant Goliath was in the back of his mind as he wrote this, or his escapes from King Saul’s assassination attempts with the help of Saul’s son, Jonathan. David’s trust in God is battle tested.
Verse four of the song gives us a roadmap for navigating through our own fears. It is David’s secret, so to speak, of confidence in the face of fear. He shows a single-minded devotion as he says, “One thing have I asked, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in his temple.”
If you could ask God for any one thing, what would it be? David says it’s being with God. As he talks about dwelling in God’s house, he’s not talking about residing so much in the Temple but to live constantly in God’s presence. He wants God to be with him. To David, access to God’s presence is the best of all the gifts a person can receive. He is saying, God, I want you. He is seeking God’s face, which means His presence. He wants to have an intimate time with God face-to-face and dwell in God’s presence all the time. David wants to know God personally, intimately. If you have God, you have everything. All else is temporary. God is eternal, and nothing can snatch you from His hand. Nothing can distract you or take you from the hand of God. David knew that. He said, I want to be in the presence of God, and I want to be gazing at His beauty.
What does David mean? When we gaze at something, we’re contemplating it, enjoying it. We are caught up as we delight in God’s attributes as a way of life. It’s what we do as we read, study, and meditate on God’s Word, as we spend time in solitude with God, as we seek His presence, talk to Him in prayer, and enter the sanctuary for worship.
By the way, in regard to worship, when David went to worship at the temple in the tent, it wasn’t really a temple at David’s time. What he saw were the rituals of bloody sacrifices in the Temple. Those bloody sacrifices of animals reminded him that God is holy and great, but He is also gracious.
Years later, Jesus the Christ would announce, Destroy this temple; Tear it down, and in three days, I will raise it up. The gospel writer John says Jesus was talking about Himself, His body. For us, Christ is our temple. We behold the beauty of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ. As we turn our eyes upon Jesus and gaze at Him, we see a sacrifice on the cross for our sinfulness. We see Jesus losing His beauty so we can have beauty. This is beauty that will still the rumble of panic in your heart as it reassures you, You are loved.
David also says, I don’t want to just behold the beauty of God, I want to inquire of Him. I want to seek God’s will. I have a willing, obedient heart. I want to do what God wants me to do, because He knows what’s going to work best for my life. David wants to never be separated from the Lord. Having God with me is enough; to gaze upon His beauty and have Him teach me His ways; to follow Him.
David then continues by saying, I know God will take care of me. In the day of trouble, God will shelter me and lift me up when life is pulling me down. He will give me reason to joyfully shout praises to Him.
When I read Psalm 27, I can’t help but be reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words at the end of Romans chapter 8. “If God is for us, who is against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or danger or nakedness or sword? No! We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I am sure that neither life nor death, angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor power nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
I’ve experienced the comfort and the strength that comes in this Psalm and those words of Paul. When I face obstacles in my own life, I turn to that Psalm. It’s a strengthener. It cultivates confidence.
The second half of this Psalm is a sample, confident prayer for continued favor as David readies himself for the present battle he is facing. He’s moving from meditation upon the greatness of God, to conversation with the Lord with a prayer for deliverance. First he seeks God’s face, His presence. “Lord, you’ve told me to seek your face; I’m seeking your face. Just don’t turn away from me. Don’t turn your back on me.”
I’m reminded of the benediction found in the book of Numbers. “May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and give you peace.” It means, May God smile upon you. Lord, I’m seeking Your face. I want to gaze at Your beauty.
And then David says, Lord, teach me and lead me. Show me what manner of life pleases you, the moral virtues you want me to take in for the circumstances I am in. I want to do things Your way, Lord. I will follow. Just don’t give me up to my adversaries who are slandering me.
David ends the whole song with an expression of trust and confidence. He says, “I believe I will look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” In other words, I believe God will see me through this. I will see the goodness of God at work all around me and in me. God will not let me go. I am His forever.
Then David gives us his testimony. He says, “Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord.” That last verse pretty much sums up the whole Psalm right there. Life gives us many reasons for fear and anxiety. The battle rages. Here’s the answer: Wait for the Lord, which means seek the Lord. Depend on Him. Pray, worship, meditate on His beauty in the word. Wait upon the Lord.
Years ago, a number of people in the jungles of central Africa responded to the gospel of Christ. Since they had no church building to gather for prayer, they cleared a central spot in the jungle for that purpose. Soon individual trails from many different directions converged as believers walked through the grass to that place of meeting with God. Whenever a Christian seemed to be losing his first love, the others would admonish him by saying, “Brother, the grass is growing on your path. It’s time to turn to the Lord.”
What about your path? My dear brothers and sisters, are you seeking the Lord and His face each day? Are you gazing at His beauty and seeking His will for your life as you face your various life situations? Are you waiting upon the Lord, for that is God’s way for those of us who are in battle to overcome our fears? He has given us this formula. Let’s use it. Let’s seek the Lord in a daily way.
I invite you to use Psalm 27 the next time you’re facing a battle. In fact, I challenge you to memorize the first part of that Psalm. “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear. The Lord is the stronghold of my life. I shall not be afraid.” Carry that one in your heart.
Amen.
Acts 16:9-10; 13-15
Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Have you ever heard the Commission – to reproduce as believers, to draw more people to become disciples of Jesus – and wondered, What are the qualities of a devoted disciple? I’d like to suggest four.
First, they would have a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the Lord of the universe. More than just an intellectual agreement that these things are true, that the faith would trust Jesus in a relationship that is integral to how life is lived every day.
Second, that the person would be committed, throughout their life, to learn everything Jesus can teach them in the Word of God and live under Jesus as a master teacher.
Third, that their hearts would be open for the Holy Spirit to shape the character of Jesus Christ within them.
And fourth, that they would, offer their lives as Jesus Christ’s servants to be partners in the building of God’s kingdom on earth.
Lydia was one of those devoted disciples. I want to talk about her story of coming to faith in Jesus Christ today.
Throughout history God’s love story with the people of His creation had women filling an integral role in God’s plans. Where would we be in the Church of Jesus Christ without women? All the cleaning days, the church suppers, the mission societies, the Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, the active prayer groups, the mothers who nurture faith in the hearts of their children within the home. Where would we be without the passion and compassion of women in the church?
But it is also true of women in the Bible. Think of Rahab who helped the spies outside of Jericho before it fell. Or Ruth; Esther; Jael; and Deborah, brave judges; or Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; Mary of Magdala; or Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel, Gabriel, visited this virgin girl, she asked, “How could it be that I, who have never known a man, could be impregnated with the Son of God?” The angel said, “No word of God shall be impossible for God to make happen.” Then Mary, in the submission of her heart, said, “Behold, I am the bond servant of the Lord. Let it be in me according to your word.” Let your promise be realized and fulfilled in and through me.
Throughout the history of the Christian Church, and without any question in the biblical narrative, God used women in His plan of salvation, in His love for God’s people, even in periods of time when society was dominated by male only leadership.
Lydia was the first convert to Christian faith on the continent of Europe. She was a woman of faith, a Gentile believer, from the town of Thyatira. She was unique in her time period as a businesswoman, an independent entrepreneur. That was extremely unusual in a patriarchal culture. She was a seller of purple clothing about the year 50 A.D. It’s presumed she was also wealthy.
John, in writing the book of Revelation, names Thyatira as one of the churches of Jesus Christ. Lydia, having come to faith in Jesus Christ was from Thyatira, so she had to have gone home from her business journey at Philippi and started a church in Thyatira. She had a role in God’s plan. Several things about this story are extremely intriguing.
The first is God’s divine providence. In the working of the Holy Spirit, Paul describes a vision he was given in the life of a man saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” It was Paul’s sensitivity to the Spirit and his obedience to the Spirit that brought Paul and Lydia together so she could hear the message of the Gospel.
On the Sabbath day, when a group of women gathered by the river for prayer, Paul had the chance to sit down and share his faith, his understanding of the Scriptures. In this story of divine providence, we see what was fulfilling from Acts chapter 1, “You will be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall bear witness to me in Jerusalem, and Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
The Word of God, the message of the gospel, was spreading to the ends of the earth. God isn’t interested in including only men in His salvation. He is working by His Spirit in the hearts of women too.
God is orchestrating a big picture here, but He is also responding to each individual life. He has a heart for Lydia to belong to Him. As those women gathered by the river, God’s Spirit spoke to Lydia through the words of Paul. So the second intriguing thing is Paul’s witness to that group that had gathered.
Think about who he had been – a terrorist and a persecutor of believers in Jesus. He was radically converted to Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, bowled over by the bright light of Jesus as He revealed Himself to Saul. I’m sure Paul told the story of his conversion to those women that day.
He also, I’m sure, told them how Jesus bled on the cross for the sins of the world as the perfect Son of God, how God raised Him from the dead, and that in His name is forgiveness of sins and the promise that all the broken world, all the rebels of humanity, are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. That God waits for each of us to come to Jesus Christ, confessing our sin and believing. You remember the promise, “All who call upon me, I will never turn away.” Maybe, because Lydia was in the textile industry dealing with the dying of cloth into purple, Paul quoted Isaiah, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will be like wool.” Maybe he went on to share how Jesus is the Son of God, and that He lives. He who was crucified lives to make His home in our hearts and give us abundant life.
The third thing of the story that is striking to me is that Lydia had been a believer of God but through Paul’s sharing she came to be a believer in Jesus Christ. She placed her faith in the message of the Gospel, and, through the wonder of the Word, she invited the Spirit of Jesus to come into her life.
It says that Lydia listened intensely as Paul shared, focused on his words. Her faith went from general to specific. No doubt she heard the truth – “There is no other name under heaven given whereby we can be saved,” or maybe she heard Paul quote Jesus from John 14, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Come to the Father through Me.” Jesus is distinctive as powerful Good News. More than just a general belief that God exists, Jesus is Good News because the message of the cross tells us that God is very serious about the sins of His people.
But the cross also tells us the depth of the Father’s love for all people, despite our sin. It tells us of God’s willingness to forgive all our sins and immoralities, and that He desires to reconcile us back into a relationship with Himself in Jesus’ name.
The cross also speaks to the truth that there is no darkness, no trouble, no adversity, no evil that can separate us from the love of God. No matter how dark the hell we might experience, the cross tells us that Jesus whispers to us even in that moment and says, “I’ll never leave you or forsake you.”
But God never forces Himself on anyone. So the fourth thing that compels me in this story is the phrase, “The Lord opened Lydia’s heart.” We remember how Revelation 3:20 says, “Jesus says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” God opens our heart, and Jesus is willing to come in. The Lord opened Lydia’s heart.
Sometimes in the church, we talk about growing the church or a strategy for Christian growth as a technique or a marketing approach. Yet church growth is actually the Holy Spirit revealing the powerful Good News of Jesus to each individual heart that hears. Faith is a gift. That gift is offered to you today too.
Finally, I want to say that Lydia’s life was transformed magnificently by the gospel she heard from Paul that day. She became an enthusiastic believer in Jesus Christ. How do we know that? Because she immediately requested baptism, together with her whole household – whether that was her children or the servants of her household. That is, though she was a businesswoman, she was uninhibited. She didn’t worry about what people might think of her if she openly declared her loyalty of faith in Jesus Christ.
It reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans 1:17, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.”
Lydia also showed her enthusiastic faith by welcoming Paul and his followers to her home. She had hospitality. Those who were far from home now received her love and care in an accepting atmosphere to assist them in their comfort, to show them love.
As I prepared for this message, I visited with one of the members of my church named Darrell Heckathorne. We were talking about when God’s Spirit opened our hearts to understand the message of the gospel. Right away he said. “I know when it was. I was four years old, and there was a woman named Irene Weist, who came to the farm. She asked my father, ‘Will you and your family come with me to church?’”
My father said, “No, we don’t go to church.”
“Well, could I come and take your boys to Sunday school?”
And he said, “No, Sunday is just another workday.”
Undeterred, Irene continued. “Well, sir, I’m gonna pray each day for your boys to know Jesus.” Darrell shared that in his mid-30s, when he came to faith in Christ, he was publicly sharing his love for Christ, and a person in the audience that day was none other than Irene Wiest who had come to the farm when he was four. “My prayers have been answered,” she told Darrell.
God can use you to share your love for Jesus with other people. The Holy Spirit is still in the business of using the Word of God to bring people to faith in His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In Acts 16 is the story of Lydia, a devoted disciple. When a seeking soul met an obedient witness, the wonder of the Word together with the power of the Holy Spirit, brought a dear one to faith in Jesus Christ. Glory to God.
Amen.
Psalm 84
Have you ever felt homesick? It’s a common experience for many people. Perhaps as a child at camp, on a trip, or even on an overnighter at a friend’s house you longed to be home with family, in your own bed with familiar surroundings. You felt a little sick. You may have even called your parents and asked them to come get you. My little sister did that now and then when she was growing up.
I remember, I was very homesick when I went off to college. I had moved more than 1,000 miles from my familiar surroundings in the mountains of Montana to the fields of Iowa to attend Luther College, and I was so very homesick!
We had no cell phones in those days, and I plugged many quarters into a payphone. When the quarters ran out, I’d call home collect until my mom and dad finally said one day, “You’re calling home too much. You need to settle in and quit calling so much.” I couldn’t wait to get back home on that first Christmas break.
Now as I’m older, I still get homesick now and then. When I’m off on a trip for a week or more without my wife, Julie, I find myself missing her so much, and wanting to be with her. I’m homesick for her. Even when we travel together, I get a little homesick for my house, my select comfort bed, and my daily routines.
Some of you maybe have experienced homesickness in your life. When I visit with people in nursing homes, they oftentimes speak with longing in their voices for their homes where they raised their families. They’re homesick.
I’m talking about homesickness today because it is written all over Psalm 84. This songwriter has longing and yearning in his words as he describes homesickness! What’s interesting is what he is homesick for – going to worship. He’s telling God that he can’t wait to get to church.
Those who are homebound are familiar with this sense of homesickness for church. They miss the fellowship, the good feelings, the familiarity, the good memories of going to worship, the elements of worship. If this describes you, let me assure you, God is with you right where you are this moment, and He knows your heart. As you worship with me today, you are with Him.
Listen to the emotional description of the psalmist’s homesickness. First of all, he really misses the building. He says, “How lovely is your dwelling place. In my mind, it is one of the most beautiful homes I can imagine.”
Then he talks about his inner feelings. “My soul longs, yes faints, for the courts of the Lord, the Church.” Lord, I’m just dying to be there! “My heart and my flesh even cry out for the living God.” I’m so homesick, I hurt emotionally and physically. I long to be there. I think of the sparrow and the swallow. They get to make their homes near the altar in your courts. I envy them.
I’m envious of the happy worshipers who are blessed when they are singing your praises. I consider a day in your courts so much better than a thousand elsewhere, no matter how good they may be. Nothing compares to being home at worship. This guy really has homesickness, doesn’t he? He just has to get to worship!
Why do you suppose going to church for worship is such a big deal to this guy and to so many other people? We find out in verse two. “(When I come to worship you Lord,) my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” When you come to worship, you are coming into the presence of the living God. It is a big deal! You are meeting with the great God of the universe. An encounter takes place. I would dare to call it a joyful homecoming. Let me explain why I say that.
Have you ever heard the saying, Home is where the heart is? Many years ago, a great Christian named Augustine said to God in one of his writings, “God you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” There you have it! God has placed a homing instinct deep in our hearts to be with Him. Coming to worship is coming home to rest with God.
I’m reminded of a humorous story I heard years ago. One Sunday, a Sunday school teacher instructed her class to write a letter to God that afternoon and bring it back to class the next weekend. One little boy wrote,
Dear God,
We had a good time at church today. Wish you could’ve been there!
Little does he know, God is there! When we come to worship in the Lord’s house, He is present in a variety of ways. He inhabits the praises of His people. He is filling every nook and cranny of the space we are in. As we praise Him, as we hear His Word and He speaks to us, as we pray to Him, as we say the Creed together, or come to the Lord’s Supper together – He is there with us. As I draw near to God, He has promised to draw near to me. There I will commune with Him! I am given the privilege of being with Him, and He breathes new life into my dry and thirsty soul.
I am reminded of a story told by Gerhard Frost, a Lutheran writer, in one of his devotional books. He wrote, “Yesterday, as I walked down the airport ramp to board a plane, a family of four was in front of me – mother carrying the younger child and father holding the other by the hand. The older girl appeared to be about four, and her every step was a bounce. She radiated expectancy, joy. It was obvious that this was THE day – the day that had been talked about and planned for – and she couldn’t wait. Her father looked down at her and asked, ‘Where are we going?’
“‘To Grandma’s!’ she shouted, punctuating her words with a higher bounce than usual. She didn’t say, to Bismarck, or to Billings, but to Grandma’s. As far she was concerned, she was going to be with a person, and the place didn’t matter at all.”
When we go to church to worship, we are going to spend time with our heavenly Father. That’s all that matters.
Our songwriter goes on to give us another reason why worship is such a big deal. He says, I am blessed as I’m blessing God. In the reading, when the writer talks about those who are blessed, he means happy. Happy are those who dwell in the house of the Lord. Happy are those who find their strength in God and journey to Zion for worship. Happy are those who trust in the Lord, who build their lives upon Him, spend time with Him, reach out to Him in a variety of ways including worship. You see, worship re-awakens me to who I am and who God is. I am reminded that I am not God. (I thank God for that, for what a mess this world would be in if I were God! What a mess my life gets in when I start believing that I am like God.)
I also learn how great my God is, how much I need Him, and how much He cares for me. The psalmist, for instance, reminds us, “He is my sun and my shield.” In the Old Testament, the sun was a symbol for restoration and healing. The shield was for protection. He is the God who takes care of me and is present. He builds me up and helps me face these days as I walk in this world of mine. I am blessed with these things in worship.
God also bestows gifts upon me in worship. He calls these gifts, favor and honor. A better translation is grace and glory. I don’t know what favor and grace and honor looked like for that songwriter, but I do know what it looks like for you and me. In worship I’m again and again pointed to the cross and told I am sinful, but loved. Jesus died for my sins and rose so I could be with my Father who created me. I am forgiven in Christ, and nothing can separate me from God’s love in Christ, not height nor depth, nor sickness, nor suffering, not even death!
As I come in to God’s presence at worship, I am reminded that one day my homesickness will be taken away once and for all as God receives me into His eternal home into eternal joy.
C. S. Lewis, a wonderful writer from the past century, said this in regard to the Psalms, “These poets (the Psalmists) knew far less reason than we for loving God. They did not know that He offered them eternal joy; still less that He would die to win it for them. Yet they express a longing for Him, for His mere presence (to spend time with Him).”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, how much more do we have reason to love God and want to spend time with Him after all He’s given us?
I came across a very moving and inspirational story a while back about a fellow named Christian Wiman, and the blessing he received from church. He said, “I got the news that I was sick on the afternoon of my 39th birthday. It took a bit of time, travel, and a series of wretched tests to get the specific diagnosis, but by then the main blow had been delivered, and that main blow is what matters. I have an incurable cancer in my blood. The disease is as rare as it is mysterious, killing some people quickly and sparing others for decades, afflicting some with all manner of miseries and disabilities and leaving others relatively healthy until the end. Of all the doctors I have seen, not one has been willing to venture even a vague prognosis.”
“Then one morning we (my wife and I) found ourselves going to church. Found ourselves. That is exactly what it felt like, in both senses of the phrase, as if some impulse in each of us had finally been catalyzed into action, so that we were casting aside the Sunday paper and moving toward the door with barely a word between us; and as if, once inside the church, we were discovering exactly where and who we were meant to be. That first service was excruciating, in that it seemed to tear all wounds wide open, and it was profoundly comforting, in that it seemed to offer the only possible balm.
“So now I bow my head and try to pray in the mornings, because to once feel the presence of God is to feel His absence all the more acutely.”
“I go to church on Sunday, because faith is not a state of mind but an action in the world, a movement toward the world. How charged this one hour of the week is for me, and how I cherish it.”
That is why we have this worship service – to cure homesickness. Worship is for the homesick, for you and me, because the truth is every one of us needs to come home and spend time with the living God who loves us through Jesus Christ. Every one of us needs this time to reconnect with the sunshine of His life-restoring grace, and be touched once again by His love for us.
So weary, homesick pilgrim, let me welcome you home. I invite you to keep coming to worship with us. And feel free to bring your friends, by the way, who need God every bit as much as you and I do.
Amen.
Psalm 139
How do you feel when you drive through the mountains and look up at those majestic peaks? How do you feel when you sit on the shore of the ocean and listen to the waves pounding against the rocks or look out the window of a plane to the world below? How do you feel sitting in a stadium with 40,000 cheering people around you pulling for their team, or when you look up into the sky on a clear night and see the thousands upon thousands of stars? Some might say it makes them feel small and insignificant. It would be natural to feel that way, I suppose, when you compare yourself to the mighty creation around you.
I am reminded of a story told by William Beebe, a friend of President Theodore Roosevelt, about a conversation they had with one another. “At Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt and I used to play a little game together. After an evening of talk, we would go out on the lawn and search the skies until we found a faint spot of lightness beyond the lower left-hand corner of the great square of Pegasus. Then one or the other of us would recite, ‘This is a spiral galaxy in Andromeda. It is as large as our Milky Way. It is one of 100 million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each much larger than our sun.’ Then Roosevelt would grin and say, ‘Now I think we’re small enough! Let’s go to bed.’”
Though many people go through life feeling small, insignificant, unnoticed, Scripture tells us nothing could be further from the truth. We see it expressed in Psalm 139, written by King David of Israel. In this Psalm, David celebrates the truth: GOD KNOWS YOU. Let me say it again: God knows you.
He begins by saying, “Lord, you have searched me and you know me.” He uses the word “know” seven times throughout this song. It’s not simply knowing about someone, but an intimate knowledge. You know me through and through is what David means here. The God who created the majestic mountains, the billions of people, the galaxies in the sky, is the personal God who knows me.
Now, its important to keep in mind that David is not just waxing eloquently here. These are not just some beautiful words based on wishful thinking. They are based upon personal experience. Just go back and read 1st and 2nd Samuel in the Old Testament. You will see why David is able to write beautiful words such as these. He had experienced God’s presence and faithfulness in his life again and again. As David expounds on how much God knows him, it doesn’t seem to bother him at all as it might when we look at own sinfulness. He seems to delight in the truth that God knows him.
The Psalm is praise being lifted to the God who was been good and faithful, who David knows loves him. David says, God you know me personally.
• He knows everything I do. When I sit down and when I rise. He knows my every thought, happy or sad, contented or anxious, rattled or peaceful, loving or judgmental, pure or dirty – God knows my thoughts!
• God knows my path. All my ways, my comings and my goings in life. He watches over me when I’m working, or when I’m on vacation, how I operate at work, how I treat others, what I do at home, how I act driving on the road. He knows my path, my comings and goings.
• He even knows my talking. He knows what I am going to say – He’s that familiar with me.
He basically knows what makes us tick. He is familiar with all my ways and all my actions, David reflects.
As a disciple of Jesus, David’s words remind me of Jesus’ words in Luke 12:7. “Even the hairs in your head are all numbered.” That is how well my heavenly Father knows me.
David continues, He is everywhere. He knows where I am, and He is with me in all life situations. “You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.” This is a picture of the loving arms of God around David, a gentle reassuring touch reminding him, David, you are not alone. I am with you.
David says, You always know where I am. You are everywhere. “If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I make my place in the land of the dead, you are there. If I dwell at the uttermost parts of the sea, you are there.” In the darkness and in the light, you are there with me. I awake in the morning and you’re with me. In other words, up, down; east, west; day, night; God is with me. It’s like Paul says in Romans 8: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in Jesus Christ.”
David goes on to say, Not only do You know me and are with me, but You also made me. Therefore, I am precious in Your sight. “You knit together in my mother’s womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” I am valuable to God. I am the crown of His creation.
The song ends with David breaking into praise. “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is a sum of them! If I were to count them – they number more than the grains of sand.” In other words, I can’t think enough thoughts to even measure up to the wonder of your love for me. Your thoughts about me are innumerable. They are so precious to me, God!
Then he says, God, I am with You. Everyone who hates you, Lord, I hate. I surrender to you. “Search me, O God, and make me what you want me to be. And lead me in the way everlasting.”
It’s a wonderful song, isn’t it? It’s a love song! David loves this God who has loved him. It is a personal relationship. He knows me; He is with me; He made me. And He knows you!
I ask you today as a listener – Do you know Him personally? Some people scoff at the idea. How can a God, who has made all these wonderful things, be known in a personal way? He’s so supreme. Can we know Him personally?
Scripture says, we can. It is a tough truth for many to grasp. A personal relationship with God, the maker of the universe? Sometimes when I talk to people about God and their relationship with Him, I’ll ask if they believe in God.
“Sure, I believe there’s a God. I believe in God.”
“What do you believe about God?”
“Well, I believe He made me. He provides me with my home and my family. I shout out to Him now and then when I’m in trouble.”
“Does He speak to you? Relate to you? Make Himself known to you?”
Frequently the response is, “No, not really. Well, maybe in His creation, I suppose.”
How sad. That is not what God intended for you. You were created to enjoy God in a personal way. He created you for an intimate, close relationship just like He created David. He invites us – His creations – to walk with Him and come to Him for strength, rest, guidance, and forgiveness for our sins. When God steps into a person’s life like that and the relationship becomes personal, it’s not a crushing thing that happens to us. Instead, it fills us with confidence, assurance, and joy.
I am reminded of a book C. S. Lewis wrote about his life. He was an atheist, then an agnostic, and then he became a believer and one of the great Christian apologists of his time. The title of his book is Surprised by Joy. Isn’t that great! As we come to know God in a personal way, be surprised by joy! You see, God knows you. He wants to have a personal relationship with you, to give you a song to sing like He gave David.
Dr. Gerhard Frost, a wonderful Lutheran writer of years ago, told a good story in a devotional book that I purchased. He said, “It was a concert in the park, and my friend and her little granddaughter were enjoying it together. The child was completely captivated by this first orchestra concert. She sat transfixed through each number and then, forgetful of her surroundings, she moved a bit closer each time the music stopped with grandma following each time she moved. At last she was as close as she could get. She stood at the very foot of the stage, lost in the sights and sounds of the many instruments.
“The concert ended and for a brief anxious moment the child realized how far she wandered. She turned to see her grandmother standing behind her, and with a smile of relief she cried, ‘Oh, I knew I could depend on you, grandma.’”
Frost reflects, “It’s good to be sought after when we stray. It’s good to be cared for when we forget. How fortunate we are that the Good Shepherd follows us more faithfully than we follow Him.”
Like sheep, we tend to nibble ourselves lost, wondering in trivia and minor distractions, or we run around panic stricken into the wilderness because our faith fails us and fears take over. But God never leaves us alone, not even for a moment, not even for a moment. He knows us. He knows you.
A dear friend of mine, many years younger than me, is battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). His name is Dan. He has such a great attitude and keeps himself moving. If you ask what helps him stay that way, as I have asked, he will point to his heavenly Father and tell you, “He keeps me going.” God is present in Dan’s life. He knows Dan, and Dan knows Him. Dan is finding joy in life, even in the midst of this awful disease.
So how does one enter into a more personal relationship with God?
God revealed the answer to that question in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus stepped in our world and announced, “He who seen me has seen the Father.” He died on a cross to pay for your sins in order to restore you into a personal relationship with the God who made you and loves you. He raised Him up and promises that all who trusts in His Son Jesus can have a personal relationship for eternity with Him.
Listen to His invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). It’s a very intimate picture – table fellowship with the Lord.
And after we invite Him in, He wants to speak to us and reveal more of Himself to us through His Word, the Bible. As we reflect on His word each day, He draws us closer to Himself and builds us up making us aware not only of His wisdom and grace, but also of His very presence and love for each of us. As we keep our daily appointment to meet with Him in prayer, we soon discover what it means to have a personal relationship with the God who made us, who sent His Son to die and rise for us. He breathes His Holy Spirit into our lives and draws us close to Himself.
It’s true, you and I have a very big God who created the galaxies. He is mighty, and has made a very big world and a big universe around us. But know this: He knows you. If He had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. He wants you to personally come to know Him. Jesus says that God even wants us to address Him as Father. Now if you ask me, that’s quite personal.
I want to close this message today with a song that’s been a favorite of mine for the past few years. It’s a newer song that captures the essence of what David is sharing with us in Psalm 139. The song is entitled, He Knows my Name.
I have a Maker;
He formed my Heart.
Before even time began,
My life was in His hands
He knows my name.
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls,
And He hears me when I call.
I have a Father;
He calls me His own.
He’ll never leave me,
No matter where I go.
He knows my name.
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls,
And He hears me when I call.
Acts 2:1-24
If I want to have stronger legs, I will do some exercises to make them stronger – like side lunges or pistol squats, or working out with some barbells. If I want a stronger grip, I will use a grip master hand exerciser or squeeze a tennis ball on a regular basis. A few years ago I had a serious neck surgery and needed to build my neck back up afterward. So the therapist gave me isometric exercises with a resistance band to build the strength in my neck.
Now let me ask you, how can a person become stronger in their faith? The standard answers are to go to church so you continue to be fed by the Good News of Jesus Christ and come to the Lord’s table for communion. Be with the family of God. That’s a good thing to do for strengthening faith. Others will point to prayer. An intimate relationship with God can be developed in a regular prayer life. Others will point to Scripture. Of course, we know that spending time each day in God’s holy Word has a way of building us up in our faith. Those are all correct answers.
While I do these things on a regular basis )maybe you do too(, I sometimes find myself feeling weak in my faith. I hit valleys sometimes, or it gets humdrum, boring, or lacks vitality. I find myself getting maybe even a little fearful and pessimistic, hesitant to step out and take on risks for God. Each day in my prayer time, I find myself praying for boldness and faith building to make me stronger, to overcome what weakness I have so that I might make a difference for Christ in this world.
Have you ever been in that place where you are searching for answers? How can I make my faith stronger? I feel stuck. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be like that. God’s power is available to the follower of Jesus Christ to make that strengthening happen.
I want to spend a few minutes with you this morning seriously considering a biblical principle to help a person grow stronger in their faith. The case study we’re going to look at is this story from Acts chapter 2.
If this is the first time you’ve ever heard the story, I’m sure it sounds quite strange and bizarre. Surreal, in fact. The violent wind, tongues of fire resting upon the heads of individuals, this praising of God’s mighty works in various languages, the babbling by the one hundred twenty in the Upper Room who soon found themselves on the street surrounded by crowds. Uneducated men and women talking like they’re experts at the United Nations in various languages.
But what grabs the attention is Peter. He courageously told the story of Jesus and what He has done for the world. Peter spoke to the crowds in the hostile territory who hated Jesus and had watched as He carried His own cross. Yet, Peter spoke on behalf of Jesus, and 3,000 people received Christ into their lives that day.
Have you ever wondered, What if Peter hadn’t spoken up when the people were questioning what was happening? What if he had just continued praising and worshiping God with the other disciples? I think it’s important to look at what perhaps was behind Peter taking action like this.
I believe some promises were rolling around in the back of Peter’s head when he saw the crowd asking about the mighty acts of God that day. Jesus had told Peter and the other disciples in the Upper Room that when the Holy Spirit came, some amazing things would be done through them. His last words before He ascended were, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you )the power from on high(, you shall be my witnesses” Acts. 1:8. Jesus was telling them, You are going to have an impact on other people’s lives for me.
In John chapters 14 – 16, as Jesus talked with His disciples in the Upper Room the night before He was crucified, He spoke about the Holy Spirit. He described Him as the Helper for the disciples. I think these words might have been rolling around in Peter’s head when the crowd asked what was happening on that first Pentecost. Jesus had promised that when the Helper came, He would convict people of their sin and their need for a Savior. He also said the Helper would bring to remembrance the things Jesus had shared with them when the opportunities arose.
Now the moment was here; the waiting was over. The Helper had arrived, and Peter recognized this as an opportunity for action. He took a test run, so to speak. He opened his mouth and put in a word for Jesus. He told the crowds what was happening and how Jesus had gone to the cross and rose for the salvation of people. Lives were changed that day.
Matthew earlier spoke in his Gospel account about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the water toward Jesus for a few moments. Now we see Peter getting out of the boat again, so to speak, on the basis of a promise from Jesus that the power was there for him to do what he was called to do – be a witness for Christ. And as Peter told the Jesus story that day, the Spirit of God showed up and went to work, and the people were cut to the heart.
Do you know what it means to be cut to the heart? They were convicted! They were convicted of their need for a Savior; they were convicted of their sinfulness, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they put their trust in Jesus Christ, just as Jesus promised. And when the people asked what they should do now that Peter shared this message with them, Peter closed the deal. He called for a decision. “Repent and be baptized. Be saved, and you will receive the Holy Spirit yourselves.” About three thousand heard Peter and asked Jesus Christ into their lives that day. They surrendered themselves to the kingdom of God, to Jesus.
In the rest of the book of Acts, we see the boldness and strong faith of Peter at work following that great day. We see Peter standing before some religious leaders a few chapters later, who were telling him to be quiet about Jesus. But Peter tells them he can’t keep quiet. He’s on fire. Scripture reports that when they saw the boldness of Peter, James, and John, they realized these ordinary men had been with Jesus.
I want to point out a principle at work here. God promises power along the way as we step out in obedience and faith to what He is calling us to do for Him. Let me say it again. God promises power along the way as we step out in obedience and faith to what He is calling us to do for Him.
The book of Acts isn’t the only place you find this principle at work. It’s found in the Old Testament as well – a wonderful story about Joshua and the people of Israel at the Jordan River. It was time to cross over and take possession of the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But it was the flood season, and the people were afraid, so Joshua had the priests, who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant containing the Ten Commandments, walk out, ankle-deep, into the water.
Guess what happened? The waters parted! Here is the principle. When you get your feet wet, God shows up with power along the way.
A book came out a number of years ago that I really enjoyed. It was written by John Ortberg and is called, “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.” In it he writes, “Most people I know love to hear stories and images about the powerful God we serve. But here is the problem: That information alone is not sufficient enough to create courageous human beings. I can receive much information designed to assure me that God’s power is sufficient. But the information alone does not transform a human heart and character. In order for such a transformation to take place, certain actions and experiences are required.” You need to take that first step. You need to get your feet wet. That is how faith grows.
I find this to be true in my own life. For years I had not received any evangelism training. I knew I needed to be doing this, and I needed to train my people to do it. Yet, I was very hesitant and afraid of stepping out, so I just blundered my way through the activity. One day, though, I took a step in the right direction. I went to Evangelism Explosion training at a big Missionary Alliance Church in Omaha, Nebraska. And I found myself doing things I never dreamed I’d do. I knocked on apartment building doors )while praying at the same time that nobody was home – after all, I’m Lutheran!( But I was invited into some of those homes and as I was given the opportunity to talk about Jesus with someone I barely knew, I began to see the power of God at work, and my faith grew stronger and more alive.
This continues to be the case for me as I step into people’s lives and share the Gospel. Again and again, I’ve seen God show up and work in me as I step out for His cause. When I find my faith getting weak, I need to take a risk for God by asking what He is calling me to do these days? Whose life is He wanting me to touch for the cause of His kingdom? God is more than willing to display His supernatural power in the challenges of your life, providing you are willing to get in motion, to walk in obedience and trust toward those things He is calling you to do.
So I ask you, What great things are you attempting to take on for the cause of Jesus Christ these days? Or maybe a better question would be, Where have you sensed God calling you to boldly step out for Him, to take a risk for Him? Perhaps it’s in the area of loving some people in your life. For instance, maybe an individual is crossing your path who drives you absolutely crazy. You want to run in the other direction when you see them coming.
Maybe you are being called to pour some of God’s kindness into a person’s life. It might be something only you can do by the power of God working in you. I dare you to try it. Perhaps it’s forgiving someone you’ve been keeping at arm’s length for a long time. You tell yourself you just can’t forgive that individual, and it’s eating you up inside. Maybe taking a reconciling step toward that individual is something God is calling you to do.
Maybe someone in your life is traveling with an addiction, and it’s destroying his life and his family. Everyone is living with it but not saying anything. An intervention needs to happen. Perhaps that intervention would happen if you speak up.
Or maybe someone you know really needs to know what Jesus Christ has done for him. Bob, a friend in my Bible study group, came in to me one day to talk. He said, “I need some coaching. My relative is dying, and he doesn’t know Christ. I need to talk to him about Jesus. I don’t want him to die without the peace of knowing Christ.” So I did a little coaching with Bob that day.
A few days later I received an exciting phone call from Bob. “You won’t believe what happened! I visited my relative and took my brother along, who is an unbeliever. I shared the Gospel with him, and he prayed to Jesus with me. And then he died. The amazing thing is, my brother for whom I’ve been praying for a long time, asked me to tell him some more about this Jesus Christ!”
WOW! Power along the way!
Get up, and try this principle out. I dare you to walk in the general direction of where God might be calling you to serve Him. Believe that God will give you an infusion of His strength that will build your faith greater than you’ve ever experienced it before.
If you are a person who trusts Jesus Christ for your salvation but you’re feeling stuck in your faith these days – it’s gotten rather humdrum and is lacking vitality – then I plead with you to get up out of your seat or out of your pew. The Spirit is here! Ask yourself what needs to get started or what needs to get stopped in your life that would bring glory to God. Please stop the waiting. Get up and start walking in the general direction and experience God’s power along the way. Let me tell you something, you will find your faith growing stronger and stronger as you go. Lives will be changed because of your efforts through the power the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Joshua 1:2, 3, 5-7a, 9
How is your memory?
On this Memorial Day weekend, I’m asking you to remember the faithfulness of God so you can move forward to face the present with confidence and the future with hope because God, time and again, has proven His faithfulness in all He has done through history.
Remember? It’s an invitation or an encouragement to stir our consciousness to a past event, a moment in time, or maybe a task yet to get accomplished. Buddies get together and reminisce about the days they had in adventure. “Remember when?” Or maybe a teacher gives an assignment. “Remember students!” Or a parent says, “Remember, son. You promised me you would do this.”
Throughout the scriptural witness over and over again, God says to all of us who hear His word, “Remember!”
Jeremiah said it this way: “This I recall to mind. Therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses never run out. His mercies never fail. Great is God’s faithfulness” (Lamentations 3: 21-23).
The faithfulness of God in the past gives birth to courageous faith to move us forward into the future. It moves us forward not only to embrace all the promises God has made to us, but also so we can offer our lives for the purposes of Jesus Christ in the world.
The scriptural witness, over and over again, encourages us to remember a rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant that God would never again destroy the world with a flood. It encourages us to remember God’s promise to the patriarchs Abraham and his wife Sarah in their old age. She, barren, would have a child of promise after 25 years waiting. Then God would ask Abraham to show he trusted God and valued God’s love even above Isaac, this child of promise, by sacrificing him. God showed Abraham the truth – He will provide.
To Isaac who would later marry Rebecca – Remember? Jacob and Esau were born, and Jacob, later – the child of destiny – would be renamed Israel as he wrestled with the angel of the Lord and said, “I’ll not let you go. I pray you, bless me.”
To Jacob was born Joseph, the favorite son, hated by his brothers. With a many-colored coat, he was sold into slavery. Then, wrongly accused when he with integrity obeyed God’s covenant, he unjustly ended up as a prisoner in jail. From there, God elevated him to be second-in-command of the Pharaoh of Egypt, and God used Joseph’s life to spare Israel and all of God’s people through a worldwide famine.
Remember? Can you trace the finger of God’s faithfulness in history? Can you see the power of God’s Spirit at work in the events of time?
Remember. In the life of Moses – from a burning bush, God called him to go back to Egypt and face the Pharaoh. God used Moses to do ten powerful plagues to convince Pharaoh to let God’s people go from slavery, including the tenth plague called the Passover. God instructed Moses to have the people smear the lamb’s blood on the doorposts so the angel of judgment would pass over those households of faith, God’s people. With those ten plagues, God freed His people from slavery.
Then, at the Red Sea, He gave them great victory over Pharaoh as the Red Sea divided, and they crossed on dry land. Time and again, the power of God showed the faithfulness of God. We have a God we can trust with courage and with peace.
Through forty years in the wilderness, the people journeyed as God provided manna and water. Even quail flew into the camp. God was visibly present through a cloud at day and a pillar of fire at night as if to say to the people, Remember, I’m right here with you and among you. I will never leave you or forsake you.
Those forty years in the wilderness lead us to the very passage we read this day from Joshua chapter 1. Moses has died, and God has asked Joshua to be the leader of God’s people that they would move forward into the future, to embrace the Promised Land God had spoken about to Abraham many years ago. Joshua was frightened and sad. He lacked the confidence to move forward and do what God called him to do.
Maybe that’s our experience sometimes, too, as we in faith strive to walk with God. We believe in God. We believe we are His people, but we lack the confidence to fully embrace the promises of God into the abundant life Jesus promised us. Or we lack the confidence to move forward in faith to courageously embrace what God has called us to do – serve Him in the kingdom.
Why do we become paralyzed? Is it our fear of the challenges God might ask of us? It is just really hard work sometimes to obey God.
A fear of the unknown? I recall something Brennan Manning wrote: “Hope knows that if great trials are avoided, great deeds remain undone, and the possibility of growth into greatness of soul will be aborted.”
God has high expectations for us in His kingdom. He has great blessings in store for us. Our character can be strengthened and shaped by the Spirit of God as we move forward to do what God asks of us.
Maybe it’s just plain busyness. We don’t move forward in confidence because we’re preoccupied with the tyranny of the urgent in the daily responsibilities of life. So all those things push what God asks of us on the back burner.
Maybe it’s a lack of faith, like when the twelve spies went into the Promised Land at Moses’s request and came back with glowing reports of a land overflowing with milk and honey – abundance for all. But then also saying, Wow! The people are giants! Stronger and militarily powerful. We just can’t do it! Only Joshua and Caleb said, “If God has promised it to us, He’ll give it to us in great victory!” But the word of the ten spies prevailed, and the people of God doubted God’s promise. Thus, they were destined to wander for forty years in the wilderness. Their generation had to die off before they could cross over under Joshua’s leadership.
Maybe our past failures chase us like twin dogs of shame and guilt. We just don’t believe we can do it. The point is, a moment in time comes for all of us when we are called by God’s Spirit to move forward with courageous faith, to cross over and embrace the fullness of the promises of all God has for us in abundant life.
A moment comes when we either move forward in faith or turn back to the wilderness. Through the years, I’ve visited with a lot of recovering people struggling with a variety of addictions. They talk about a journey of faith, when they come to a certain moment in time where they realize that God loves them and forgives the past. Yet, they somehow are paralyzed from moving into a world of recovery, of new beginnings because they’re afraid.
I’ve also talked to a lot of women and men who into their adulthood are haunted by the painful memories of an abusive childhood. Maybe it’s a father who was mean spirited in his own bondage to drunkenness. Maybe he verbally or physically abused them in such a way that they struggle with depression or have low self-worth and no confidence to face life in their adulthood. Maybe they live with a desire to please people thinking the only way their lives will have value is if they keep everyone around them happy. This leads to some kind of weird perfectionism believing that by human achievement, they’ll finally matter.
Oh, that God would heal the hearts of His wounded people so they would believe the promise of His love, and in courageous faith, they would not only deal with the challenges of the present but be full of hope for the future God has in mind for us.
In Joshua chapter 3, it is interesting that as Joshua led God’s people to the Jordan River, God instructed the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to step into the strong current of the Jordan River before the waters parted for them to cross over.
Often our life of faith is like that too. We need to move forward in faith, even if there is no visible proof that our God is at work in the circumstance. We need to move forward in faith, and then God will reveal His power to work to fulfill the promises He has made. We need to step forward in faith into the very current of the flow of life’s circumstance, and then God will act as He has promised.
Ultimately, God calls us to step into the sovereignty of His power and love. He rules with authority and power to fulfill all His purposes in time and history. He has the authority to do whatever He wants. He will fulfill all His purposes and all His promises in this world.
All those Old Testament victories and momentous events were curiously followed up by the people pausing to celebrate. Do you know what happened each time God did something fantastic for them? They built an altar and sang songs of praise. They worshiped Him as their God. They gave credit where credit was due. They worshiped God and acknowledged His power to do great and awesome things for them.
So, as New Testament people, we remember that it is Jesus who is the faithful One. He was faithful to do the Father’s will, to empty Himself of divine glory and power. He surrendered to become a servant, a man on earth. He surrendered to death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins and mine. God exalted Him and raised Him from the dead. Death has no mastery over Him. Every promise of God is “yes”in Jesus Christ.
When Jesus makes us promises, we are not only forgiven, but we also belong to Him, the Resurrected One. He has filled us with the power of the Spirit, so we can approach life with confidence that we are never alone. We belong to God. He will go with us everywhere we go. He has given us victory everywhere we journey.
Romans 8:37 tells us, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us,” and “Nothing will separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ” (vs. 39). I’m thinking about the young girl Mary and the Angel Gabriel who said to her, “Nothing is impossible with God.” And she said, “Let it happen to me just as you’ve said.” She moved forward to offer her life to be the mother of the Lord, the Son of God. She said “yes” to her part in the plan of God because she took God at His word.
Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13). This becomes our profession of faith, too. So, as I remember the faithfulness of God, God’s Spirit gives birth to a courageous faith, and I am equipped to deal with the present. I am full of hope to move into the future God has in store for me.
Remember? God’s faithfulness fills you with courageous faith.
Amen.
Luke 11:1-13
If we want a stronger body, we begin to work it out and we eat a good diet. We lift some weights and watch our diets. If we want a stronger mind, we do some studying and work our mind – maybe reading a book. Some people, as they get older, like to work cross word puzzles and so on to keep a stronger mind. But how about the spirit inside of us? Don’t we want confidence, calmness in the midst of chaos, courage and strength for facing all that life throws at us?
Who doesn’t want an attitude that is more loving and joyful to face each day? What about the spirit?
I was recently at a YMCA conference, and they were asking that question. Their concern was they’ve spent so much time working on the body and the mind, they seem to have drifted away from the “C” part of their name. They were asking, How do we help people grow in spirit through our organization? Good question!
One thing I have figured out is I cannot, by myself, grow inside and make myself stronger. The good news is, God can and He wants to do it through a wonderful tool He has given. This tool is called prayer.
A few years ago I came across a statement in a book on prayer. It says, “As you grow in prayer, God will reveal more of himself to you, breathing more of his life into your spirit.” He wants to make us stronger inside.
God’s prevailing power is released through prayer into you. It may come in the form of wisdom, or an idea you are looking for, courage you can’t muster in yourself, or confidence, perseverance, staying power, patience with other people, changed circumstances, even outright miracles. God loves it when we pray and His power is released into our lives. Sometimes it comes as a miracle.
A few years ago when my mother was alive, she was in the midst of fighting a terrible disease called lupus. I had talked her into coming to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for some tests. Maybe they could get some answers for her. That night she called me from her motel room, and she was crying. She said the doctors had run some tests and learned her kidneys were shutting down, (caused apparently by the medications she had taken). It didn’t look good at all. So my wife Julie and I went to Mayo and prayed with mom. We asked for healing and put her in the Lord’s hands.
The next day, when she went in for another battery of tests, the doctors were puzzled; her kidneys were looking better. So they ran some more tests and found the kidneys had totally cleared up from the day before. The doctors said, “I can’t explain this.” But my mother smiled and said, “I think I can!”
Now I ask you, was that simply a coincidence or the power of God answering prayer?
As we read the Old and New Testaments with some great stories about prayer, we learn some amazing things can happen inside of us and to us and through us when we take the time to regularly pray. So let me ask, How is your prayer life these days?
We talk about how wonderful prayer is, but some of us never get around to being much of a regular at it. There are so many barriers, I suppose, to prayer. Maybe it’s our autonomy – the attitude that I can fix this myself. God doesn’t have time. Or it’s our laziness. We just don’t develop the habit. We leave it until it’s time for a crisis to hit us, and then we find ourselves praying more. Or maybe it’s a disappointment along the way – God has let us down. Perhaps it’s a lack of trust in God. We wonder if He cares, and if He is able to do anything anyway. For others of us it might be we just don’t know how to pray.
Well, in response to the last couple reasons, Jesus has something for us to consider today.
The disciples came to Jesus after they noticed He was always about the task of praying. He prayed a lot! He seemed so strong, even in the face of opposition and rejection, attacks and pressures, and so on of life. He always seemed to maintain His cool and calm. So they decided to ask Him to teach them to pray. “Lord, teach us to pray.”
It’s interesting isn’t it? The men upon whose shoulders rested the responsibility of christianizing the world, came to Jesus with one supreme request. They didn’t say, Lord, teach us to preach; they didn’t say Lord, teach us to do miracles; they didn’t say Lord, teach us to be wiser. No, instead they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” They obviously had seen the power of prayer at work in Jesus.
So Jesus gave them a model for prayer. We call it the Lord’s Prayer. It’s really better titled the disciples’ prayer for it asks for forgiveness, and Jesus was sinless. This prayer is not a magical incantation we put at the end of a meeting in order to give the signal its time to go. It’s not something to mindlessly ramble through. It is a model for approaching God in prayer.
Jesus says that when you approach God in prayer, first of all, talk to Him about His person. Call Him “Father,” an intimate image. Come as a trusting child to a loving trustworthy father.
“Hallowed be your name.” It’s a time of worship. God’s name has been dragged through the mud over the ages. Lord, may you be worshiped. I worship you, and may everybody come to recognize how wonderful You are. How wonderful Your name and Your person!
Jesus goes on to tell us, when we’re done talking with the Lord about His person, talk to Him about His program. “Thy kingdom come.” May Your program, Father, take over this world and bring it to completion. May there be signs of Your program at work in my life and in the lives of those who come in contact with Your Good News. May Your kingdom come.
When we’re done talking about the program, Jesus says to talk to Him about provisions. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Notice He didn’t say, Give us this day our daily cake, meaning whatever we want. He’s talking about our day-to-day needs. Declare your dependence on Him. Ask Him to provide.
When you’re done with the person and the program and the provisions, you should also ask Him for pardon. Say, “Forgive us our sins (our debts) as we forgive our debtors.” It’s something we need to do when our sins act as a barrier in our communication with God. We need His forgiveness and His help to forgive others.
Then He says, When you’ve talked about the person and the program, and the provisions and the pardon, ask your Father for protection. “Lead us not into temptation.” Jesus is using battle language here. Protect me and keep me from falling away, Lord. He is actually using a negative to state a positive. For instance if I were to say to you, that’s no small matter, what it really means is, it’s a big deal. So when Jesus is saying, “Lead me not into temptation,” He’s saying “Keep me away from temptation.”
I love how Jesus then goes on to give a couple pictures of the One we are talking to in this prayer in order to give us more confidence and assurance as we approach God in prayer. He tells the story of a man who is awakened by his friend in the middle of the night. His friend is asking for bread to serve someone else who is visiting. The man finally gives in to his friend. It is Jesus’ way of saying, if this friend responds after all this pestering, your heavenly Father is such a better friend than that. He’s so attentive to your needs. He’s not like that friend at all.
Some scholars will say Jesus in fact wasn’t really talking about the fact that the man was being pestered by a friend. Jesus was basically saying, Can you imagine a friend who won’t answer his door in the middle of the night? This would not happen in a Middle Eastern village. It would be a shaming thing for an individual to turn a friend away. If that man is able to get up in the middle of the night after been called upon by another friend, how much more will your heavenly Father respond to you and pay attention to your cries?
Then Jesus asks,“What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, instead will give him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
God is greater than any friend, Jesus is telling us; He is greater than any father. His attentiveness, His grace and generosity, is unsurpassing.
I love the promise He finishes off with. He says He will give us the Holy Spirit. God wants to Himself, work in you, empowering you to give you His Holy Spirit. This is the Holy Spirit’s job description, the ultimate gift – to bring about change, to make us stronger!
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Prayer Changes Things”? Do you believe it? I do. But even more importantly, prayer changes me. Prayer changes me! As the Holy Spirit then is operating within me, He changes me making me stronger in love, kindness, joy, boldness, and self-control. Someone once said, “God’s power flows primarily to people who pray.” This is what’s being said here by Jesus.
Case in point. Remember the Pentecost story when the disciples are in the Upper Room and the Holy Spirit came upon them. What were they doing? You’re right – they were praying. However, before the Holy Spirit came upon them, the disciples were afraid. They were chickens! But after the Holy Spirit came upon them, they suddenly became courageous soldiers of the Gospel. Unstoppable!
Not only does God’s power flow primarily to people who pray, but God’s power also flows primarily through people who pray.
Again, a case study. The Pentecost story again. After the Holy Spirit came upon those disciples, they began to share the gospel. Then what happened? They were effective! They were fired up, ignited in the Holy Spirit. Thousands upon thousands came to believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. God’s power flows primarily to people who pray, and God’s power flows primarily through people who pray. We become a channel of grace, a conduit for the Holy Spirit’s power to have an impact on the lives of people with whom we come in contact. We become effective! More effective than we could ever dream of becoming! And yet, all too often within the Church of Jesus Christ today, prayer seems to be put on the shelf.
Jim Cymbala, in his book, “Fresh Wind and Fire,” writes, “Does anyone really believe that America today is lacking preachers, books, Bible translations, and neat doctrinal statements? What we lack is the passion to call upon the Lord until he opens the heavens and shows himself powerful.” We need to be plugging into the power connection God has offered us through prayer.
I sometimes wonder where our ministry would be in this country if the people of God grew in the habit of prayer. If we became known as people who turn to Him in prayer that we would be on our knees. Behind every work of God in the past, you are always going to find some kneeling form. Billy Graham was once asked what is the most important thing they do before going to a community to do their crusades. “The secret is pray, pray, pray.”
Could there be revival in America? Heaven knows we need one. If the people of God would begin to really pray. Pray for God to work inside of us, and pray for God to flow through us into the lives of others.
This is my appeal today. If you want to grow stronger on the inside and make a difference on the outside, it’s really very simple. Jesus tells us, pray, pray, and pray.
Amen.
Luke 10:25-37
Everybody needs Jesus. This truth drives Christian Crusaders’ ministry, and it drives me as a pastor. Everyone needs to see what a wonderful life giver Jesus is, and then step into a relationship with Him and follow Him.
Over the years, I’ve taught a number of evangelism training courses to people in my congregation. The desire is for them to be ready to share this wonderful Jesus with people around them. Everybody needs Jesus, you see.
One of the courses I’ve used is entitled, “How to become a contagious Christian.” This course teaches a formula: High Potency + Close Proximity to People + Clear Communication of the Good News will bring about Maximum Impact.
High Potency refers to Jesus’ challenge for us to be the salt of the earth. It is important for us to be salty and retain that saltiness. Saltiness involves having an authentic character and being sacrificial.
The course also talks about the importance of being a compassionate person. A statement in the materials says, “Uncaring Christianity does not attract inquirers into the fold. But a clear, consistent demonstration of Christlike love and compassion can be a powerful magnet to pull people toward Jesus. It can open up people’s hearts like nothing else can.” Max Lucado says, “Compassion is the best apologetic.”
When you think about it, there is a lot of truth to this. For example, Christians and non-Christians alike seem to really like Pope Francis. They are attracted by his compassion for people.
Richard Stearns wrote a wonderful book years ago called “The Hole in Our Gospel.” In it he said this: “When we are living out our faith with integrity and compassion in the world, God can use us to give others a glimpse of His love and character.” This should not be a surprise to those of us who really care. Caring and compassion for people, i.e., caring for the tangible needs of other human beings, has always been part and parcel of genuinely being God’s people in this world. We follow a compassionate God. The Bible tells us, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate” (Psalm 145:8).
In Deuteronomy 15:11, God speaks to His people through Moses, “There will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor in your land.” Be compassionate people.
James tells us in the New Testament, “Religion that is pure visits orphans and widows in their affliction” (vs. 1:27) That is compassion.
Peter writes to a group of people who are struggling to make a credible witness for the gospel in the world. “For this is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” (I Peter 2:15). Compassion.
Tenderhearted mercy and compassionate kindness were trademarks of Jesus Himself. Again and again the Gospel writers in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John point us to the compassion of Jesus, whether it’s healing a leper, feeding people, or spending time with the untouchables and the unlovables. Jesus showed compassion. When He saw people out in the wilderness coming to Him, He had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He taught them about God’s kingdom and His love for them. Jesus touched the untouchable, the unlovable, the unnoticed. He seemed to see people with a different lens, and it attracted crowds to Him.
Today we find Jesus emphasizing the importance of loving compassion in our text. The expert in Old Testament Law asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life, Teacher?” Jesus showed remarkable restraint and patience with this question, because it’s a foolish question. An inheritance is something to be received, not earned or deserved.
Jesus answered, “What does the Bible say?”
The man responded, “Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus kind of shut it down right there. He said, “Do this and you will live.” But the man wanted to take this discussion further, perhaps to prove that he was very smart. He asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He seemed to want boundaries. There must be a limit, he was thinking. So Jesus told him the story about a mugging.
A man was going down from Jerusalem – obviously a Jew – to Jericho. He was mugged and beaten up by robbers, lying half dead on the side of the road. Two people, both of them very religious, passed by as he lay there, but they didn’t do anything. A third person came along and when he saw the man, he had compassion. He stopped and helped this individual.
(It would have been rather shocking for a Jewish person who was listening to this story to hear a Samaritan – whom they hated and was hated by Jews – was helping his enemy.)
When he was done with this story, Jesus asked, “Who was the neighbor in the story?”
The Old Testament expert couldn’t even bring himself to say the word “Samaritan.” He responded, “The person who showed mercy.”
Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
We learn this very important truth from Jesus today: Compassion is commanded of God’s commissioned. Go and do likewise.
David Tiede, in his commentary on the Gospel of Luke, writes, “It (The Good Samaritan story) is more than a morality lesson. It is Jesus’ instruction in the observance of the Law of God in accordance with the kingdom of mercy and service which he (Jesus) has inaugurated.” Go and do likewise.
Jesus is giving a picture in this parable of compassion in action. It was risky. Robbers could have been waiting behind a boulder to jump out and beat up the Samaritan. (We’ve read stories of that happening in our own day.)
His compassionate action was sacrificial. He gave of his own goods to take care of this man. He gave up his time and convenience to get this man to a place where he would be safe and could be helped.
The Samaritan was extravagant, not only taking care of the man on the spot, but also paying his bill at the Holiday Inn and then leaving money behind to take care of future expenses until he was back on his feet. Compassion looks beyond skin color and cultural differences – even religion – as the Samaritan shows us in the story today. It knows no boundaries.
How often have you felt compassion for people in need lately? How often have you followed up those feelings and actually helped someone by serving them, encouraging them, visiting them, or expressing love in some tangible way?
To help you quantify your response to this question, I challenge you to rate yourself on a scale of one to ten – one been pretty cold and ten being a Mother Teresa clone. Write down a number that represents your present level of compassion. And by the way, you can’t use a five.
Our compassion quotient can sometimes get dangerously low – I know mine does. And it can take away from our effectiveness to get everybody to see Jesus and receive Him. A number of reasons play into why we get low on compassion. Compassion busters are all around us and within us. Perhaps our own background works against us. Maybe we grew up in a home with little love and compassion – more judgmentalism and criticism than anything else. Maybe a wise Christian friend or a counselor is needed to help you with these issues in your life.
Our busyness can get in the way. We live such a hectic pace of life, and it can be difficult to love when we’re tired. It’s tough to even notice people when we’re rushing. We need to slow down. I think sometimes we’re so bombarded with needs on the news and on social media that we become desensitized. We see hungry, hurting people every time we watch the news or turn on a computer.
Perhaps we have compassion fatigue. Some of us are caregivers to a loved one and feel burned out. Maybe we’ve been burned along the way by those for whom we care, and we don’t want to experience disappointment and discouragement again. Maybe you need fresh touches of God’s compassion and love yourself. It’s difficult to give away something you don’t have.
Let me remind you how crazy God is about you. Let me reawaken you to the depths of His love for you. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue you from your sinfulness and the consequences of it. He was nailed to a cross for you. Even if you were the only person who ever lived, Jesus went to the cross for YOU out of compassion. He wants you to have a relationship with the Father who created you and is crazy about you. He wants you to receive forgiveness and the promises God has in mind for you. He loves you!
So let me ask you this: how can a person grow stronger in compassion? How can they move their compassion quotient up a couple numbers – maybe from a three to a five or from a six to an eight? Well, there are a variety of things a person can do.
Expose yourself more to what’s going on in the world. Read this book, “The Hole in our Gospel,” by Richard Stearns. He is the President of World Vision International. It’s a great book that reawakens us to a world so much bigger than the little world we live and exist in. Max Lucado’s book “Outlive Your Life,” talks about following Jesus out into the world and what life in the Church can be. I like Ron Sider’s book, “Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.” Study the newspaper more. Read stories about the hurts in the world. Educate yourself, and pray about those things. Put them in God’s hands. Start noticing people and studying them. It’s going to mean slowing your schedule down a bit. Step outside of your own little existence and step into someone else’s. Take control of things. Take time to notice people, their hurts, and what’s happening in their lives.
Something else that can really be valuable is to begin each day with this daily prayer: “Break my heart Lord, the way yours is breaking. Show me where there is hurt, and where I can help.”
Finally, take some steps to be involved. I really believe positive choices lead to positive actions and will result in positive feelings. It will enlarge your heart when you put compassion to work. So many people are by the side of the road and need you. Maybe it’s someone in a nursing home. When was last time you visited someone in a nursing home – when you didn’t have to go but you wanted to? Maybe someone needs you to adopt them as a friend. If you live in a senior citizens home, look around for a lonely neighbor who doesn’t get much company. Show them some compassion.
I know people who teach English as a second language and volunteer to the refugees to our country. Do you quilt? Do you knit? Maybe someone needs a prayer shawl or organizations like Lutheran World Relief that could use quilts to provide warmth to those who don’t have anything. Then study about the people for whom you quilt.
How about intercessory prayer for the hurting? Telephone calls to those who are lonely? A meal for someone who is hurting? Hospitality to someone who lives alone? Adopt a child from Compassion International. My wife, Julie, and I do that. Each month we send a payment to help a little boy named Alexander go to school and have materials like food and good clothes to wear. Pray for them; get to know them.
I want to seal this sermon with a saying from Saint Teresa that means so much to me. I hope it does for you as well.
Christ has no body on earth but yours;
no hands but yours; no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion for the world is to look out.
Yours are the feet for which He is to go about doing good,
and yours are the hands with which He is to bless now.
Amen.