November 2024

Mary, 1 December 2024

Mary: Let the Good Shepherd Carry You
The Glory of Christmas: The Skit Guys
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
December 1, 2024
Luke 1:26-38
  
Series Big Idea: The Glory of Christmas is all about Jesus.
 
Big Idea: Let the Good Shepherd carry you.

Skit Guys Video Link: Mary
 
Welcome to Advent, the season of preparation for the arrival. It’s a time of waiting and anticipating Jesus. We celebrate the first arrival of Jesus the Messiah while anticipating his second coming. Today we begin our series The Glory of Christmas. Each week we’ll look at another character in this Christmas pageant and today we begin with Mary.
  
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
Here we are at the most wonderful time of the year, at least according to Andy Williams. As we’ll observe this evening at our Blue Christmas gathering, for many it’s the most difficult time of year, whether it’s the empty chair at the table for Christmas dinner, the mountain of debt accumulating on your Visa card, the volatile conversations about politics, the jam-packed calendar of holiday events, the endless preparations for guests coming over, the task of finding the ugliest sweater,…or maybe simply the sheer loneliness of watching everyone around you get party invitations while you celebrate alone with your cat. For many, Christmas is heavy. Perhaps for all of us there are aspects of the season which are stressful, chaotic, and heavy.
 
As I mentioned, this series is called The Glory of Christmas. The Hebrew word for “glory” is “kavod,” means not only glory but also weight. It’s funny watching a soccer mom on a video dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, but this is obviously a realistic scenario, and one Mary embodied perhaps more than any mother in history. After all, we know where babies come from, so no pregnancy should be a total surprise…except when a virgin conceives!
 
I’m grateful for the Women’s Resource Center across the street and the fine work they do serving expectant moms and dads. Having a baby is a really big deal, especially when it’s a surprise. I often say the greatest change in my life occurred in 1992 when our first child was born. It was an incredible moment that I will cherish the rest of my life, and I can’t wait to see her, now all grown up and recently married! She’s a little bigger now than when I held that 9 pound, 3 ounce bundle of joy in my arms!
 
But having a baby wasn’t easy. It was more than worth it, but it wasn’t easy. Just ask my wife who delivered without any pain meds! I remember freaking out at the medical bill. There were sleepless nights. Parenthood is not for the faint of heart.
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
Mary is a fascinating character in the Bible, yet many Protestants seem almost afraid of her, worried they might appear to be too Catholic! I dare say she’s the most underrated person in the Bible among Protestants. Let’s look at Dr. Luke’s introduction to her.
 
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28)
 
Can you imagine being told you are highly favored and the LORD is with you? By an angel?!
 
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (Luke 1:29)
 
Can you blame her? Angels are real. I’ve met people that are quite certain they’ve encountered an angel, often helping in a time of need and then disappearing. But angels in the Bible often show up unannounced, scaring the living daylights out of people!
 
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30)
 
This is the second mention of God’s favor in three verses! Mary was not randomly chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. She didn’t win a beauty contest (like Esther) or demonstrate great leadership skills (like Deborah). She wasn’t commended for her devotion to family (like Ruth). Most likely she was just a teenager, yet God chose her to give birth to His Son.
 
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33)
 
Wow! This is amazing news! The Jews had been waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah, and she’s going to be his mama. This even fulfilled a prophecy from 2 Samuel chapter seven when God said to King David…
 
When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
 
This is one of the 300 or 400 Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled.
 
But there’s one little problem.
 
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)
 
It’s a simple fact that virgins don’t get pregnant. It’s impossible…but God.
 
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)
 
Two angelic visits. Two miracle pregnancies. Two astonishing sons. Don’t miss the timeless promise.
 
For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:37)
 
God has made a lot of promises to us throughout the scriptures. You can bet your life on them! Mary’s response to the heavenly messenger:
 
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38)
 
This may be the single reason God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus—her servant’s heart. Everyone likes the idea of being a servant…until they are treated like one! Mary said “yes” to the LORD throughout her life. This is what it means to have a LORD. Tragically, there are many vampire Christians today…who just want Jesus for his blood! Jesus is our Savior, but he wants to be LORD, which means we submit, say yes, and obey. An hour on Sunday doesn’t make you a disciple of Jesus, though plays a role in spiritual formation. Are you the LORD’s servant? If so, buckle up and get ready for the greatest adventure imaginable. I promise it won’t be easy, comfortable, or maybe even safe, but you will never regret fully surrendering to Jesus, experiencing the thrill of God moving in and through you to make disciples, love others, and bless the nations.
 
There’s a certain paradox when Mary in the video tells herself, “Let the Good Shepherd carry you.” After all, she carried the Good Shepherd, Jesus the Messiah, for nine months in her womb. Mary was given an incredible assignment. Sure, it must’ve been amazing to show up with her Son and watch him turn water into wine. What a party trick! I imagine hearing him preach and teach made her feel so proud. When kids win awards, they always begin by thanking their mom, right?!
 
But make no mistake, Mary did not have an easy life. People today generally frown on teenage pregnancies and unwed mothers, yet there was no tolerance for such things back in the day. I can just imagine the rumors, the gossip, the estrangement. “She seemed like such a nice girl, and now…”
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
But the pregnancy was just the beginning. The delivery of the baby was anything but comfortable, most likely occurring in the animal quarters of the home of a family member. Joseph was probably the fill-in midwife (I don’t know you gentlemen, but I would’ve probably fainted!). A concrete manger [like this was probably] used for his crib. No epidural. No morphine. She didn’t even have a baby aspirin!
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
None of that compared to the horror of watching her son publicly executed in the most painful and humiliating way imaginable. It’s been said the hardest thing in the world is losing a child, and this was no ordinary child and no ordinary loss.
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
To think this was all prophesied. Mary was warned days after the birth of Jesus that her burden would be heavy. At the dedication of Jesus,
 
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35)
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you.
 
So What?
 
Throughout this month, you’ll see images of Mary, wearing a blue robe, silently with sweet little baby Jesus. But there’s so much more to Mary than that. She was highly favored by God. Her faith was rugged. She had other children, possibly a single mom as many believe Joseph long before her. Throughout her life, she let the Good Shepherd carry her. She trusted her son. She believed the promises of God.
 
Do you?
 
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, invites us today to follow, to trust, to believe.
 
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
 
Let the Good Shepherd carry you…today, this Advent season, and for the rest of your life.

Gve Thanks, 24 November 2024

Give Thanks
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 24, 2024
1 Chronicles 16:34-36
 
Big Idea: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
 
Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 16:34-36
 
What’s your favorite holiday? My friend, Scott, is almost famous for declaring Thanksgiving his favorite holiday. It’s not as commercialized as Christmas and Easter. You don’t have to buy gifts. Most people get a bonus day off on Friday. There are special things to eat and football games to watch. Oh, and it’s a day to give thanks!
 
On this Sunday before Thanksgiving Day, we’re going to explore the biblical theme of gratitude and, perhaps, help you prepare for not only Thursday, but also the rest of your life.
 
 
Gratitude is popular these days. It’s on bumper stickers and greeting cards. I’ve seen people make gratitude posts on social media. My friend Thomas recently moved to South Carolina where he makes Facebook posts beginning with “SC Thankfulness journal.” There are even paper journals designed to help us give thanks. But obviously gratitude did not begin with the start of Hallmark or even the pilgrims. It’s an ancient command from scripture.
 
If we go back a few thousand years to the book of 1 Chronicles, King David writes a psalm of thanks. It begins,
 
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8)
 
This is really the heart of our mission, the Great Commission, to love, equip, and send, to go and make disciples of all nations. The known world was much smaller in the 5
th century B.C. than it is today, but we have greater access, transportation, and technology to make the LORD and His actions known among the nations. After all, God so loved the…world! One of the things I love about Findlay—and College First—is we have people from around the world…Japan, India, Haiti, Ghana, …even Pure Michigan!
 
As I have said, many in our world have never heard the name of Jesus. They haven’t experienced the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD. They don’t know they are loved and seen by their Creator. Family, we’re on a mission from God…to seek and save the lost.
 
People all over the world know the names of Putin, Trump, Biden, Taylor Swift, but none of them will save, heal, cause demons to tremble, or offer lasting hope, meaning, and purpose. The only name that can do that is…Jesus!
 
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8)
 
David continues,
 
9          Sing to him, sing praise to him;
                        tell of all his wonderful acts.
10         Glory in his holy name;
                        let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11         Look to the LORD and his strength;
                        seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:9-11)
 
The following verses are beautiful, like many found in the book of Psalms. They declare God’s goodness, faithfulness, glory, and worth. Jumping down to verse 34,
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
 
The verse speaks about God’s faithfulness in the past.
 
Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;
            gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
            and glory in your praise.” (1 Chronicles 16:35)
 
This is clearly about the present, asking for God’s intervention with a promise to give thanks upon deliverance.
 
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
            from everlasting to everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:36a)
 
This addresses our need to celebrate God’s presence in the future…forever!
 
Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 16:36b)
 
The NIV translation of the Bible contains 29 uses of the phrase “give thanks” including this one:
 
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
 
Give thanks in all circumstances? It doesn’t say for all circumstances, but even in our most dire situations, there are blessings to acknowledge. Someone always has it worse. God is good…all the time, even when we’re not comfortable or happy.
During our nine-year trial with a sick child, I remember driving our daughter from the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House each day to outpatient therapy at Cleveland Clinic. It was a horrendous season of life, to say the least, but as our girl transported on crutches, I remember seeing a younger boy in a wheelchair, severely deformed. There was hope for our child to someday be “normal,” but it was obvious the birth defects of this little masterpiece were permanent. I began to give thanks for what I had rather than complain about what I wanted to change in my situation. Here are some things we can all be grateful for, regardless of our income, housing status, or health:
 
1.    Life. Every breath is a gift. You did nothing to deserve today.
2.    Freedom. The USA is deeply broken, but we have freedoms many envy.
3.    This church family. God is doing something special right here, right now.
4.    Clothes. I remember meeting a boy in Africa whose entire wardrobe was a t-shirt!
5.    Food. It’s hard to be truly hungry in Findlay with so many paid and free options.
6.    Health. You are here, aren’t you?!
7.    Transportation. You are here, aren’t you?! Unless you’re online!
8.    Shelter. Even the unhoused among us have access to temporary shelter.
9.    Safety. No place is perfectly safe, but we are not living in a war zone.
 
You probably know what I’m saving for last! The very best!

10.  God! He knows you, sees you, and loves you…unconditionally. He’s why we’re here. He’s worthy of our thanks and praise…always…forever!
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
 
This same phrase appears in Psalm 106, 107, 118 (twice), and 136. Whenever there is repetition in the Bible, pay attention. They didn’t have bold or italics or colored fonts to emphasize writings on scrolls so repetition was often used to make an important point.
 
So What?
 
I want to offer three simple next steps for you.
 
First, give thanks to others. Write a thank you note. Send an encouraging e-mail of appreciation. Express gratitude face to face. So many people are starving to hear, “I’m glad you’re my friend” or “you have a great smile” or simply “I appreciate you.” Give thanks to others.
 
Second, give thanks to yourself. No, I’m not saying send yourself a thank you card, but begin a gratitude journal…digital or paper. List the blessings in your life. I gave you ten to get you started!
 
Third, give thanks to God. Jesus’ half-brother wrote,
 
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
 
You can pray it, say it, sing it, dance it, play it, write it, however you want to express your thanks to God, do it!
 
One more thing…
 
Growing up, Thanksgiving was by far my favorite day of the year. We would have up to 100 Schneemanns gather at a church fellowship hall for a day of food, music, sports, and gratitude. Generations of Christ-followers would share how God had been faithful to them, we would form a choir and orchestra and sing and play to the LORD. Thanksgiving was more than a day or meal, it was an event. I deeply miss those family reunions, making me thankful for those precious memories…and inspiring me to create new ones for my biological and spiritual families.
 
On Thursday, Heather and I will be participating in the Turkey Trot to benefit the Women’s Resource Center and then we’ll be here for the College First Thanksgiving Meal. I can’t wait!
 
Let’s not limit giving thanks to a Thursday in November. Let’s make every day Thanksgiving!
 
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Mercy, 17 November 2024, Jude

Mercy
Little Letters: Jude, part 2

Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 17, 2024
Jude 17-25
 
Series Big Idea: Little letters can contain big lessons.
 
Big Idea: Mercy begets mercy so we are to experience and share God’s mercy.
 
Scripture Reading: Jude 17-23
 
When I was a kid, we used to place this two-person game called Mercy. Essentially, you would try to torture the other person with your hands until they yell, “Mercy!”
 
Mercy is one of those words people use, but don’t always understand. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. We all deserve God’s wrath, but praise the LORD Jesus came and died to offer forgiveness and mercy.
  
Today we conclude our series on Little Letters, finishing the short book of Jude, the second-to-last book of the Bible before Revelation. Last week we read the first part of this letter written by Jesus’ half-brother to the early church, likely Messianic Jews. He warned about false teachers and said some harsh things about their destructive actions. Now we pick up with verse 17.
 
A Call to Persevere
 
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. (Jude 17-19)
 
Remember what the apostles—the true teachers—said (and forget the words of the false teachers who scoff, live ungodly lives, and divide.
 
We live in a divided culture, a divided country, a divided world. This is hardly news to any of us. It has been this way since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. What is harder for me to grasp is how divided the Church, the Bride of Christ, has become.
 
In the book of John chapter 17, Jesus prayed for unity, that we would be one—not divided. We can all find differences if we look hard enough, but we have more in common than not. We’re all united at the foot of the cross. Only pride and ego keep us from truly loving one another as Jesus commanded us to do.
 
Jude says these leaders “do not have the Spirit.” This is an important remark. There’s a big difference between gifting and anointing. It’s possible to have talents and abilities, but it’s another thing to be filled with the Holy Spirit, utilizing spiritual gifts for God’s glory.
 
I’m not here to impress or entertain you, but simply to point you to Jesus. I pray that the Holy Spirit would fill me every time I preach and that you hear from God, not me. I also pray that I would always practice what I preach. This was hardly the case with the false teachers Jude critiques.
 
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 20-21)
 
He says to build themselves up in the faith. Grow!
 
He says to pray in the Holy Spirit. Align your will and desires with God’s.
 
He says to remain in God’s love. Develop your relationship with Jesus.
 
He says to wait. Don’t you love waiting? Ugh! People have been waiting for two thousand years for Christ to return. Next month we’ll enter the season of Advent, which means coming or arrival, a season of anticipation. 
 
I’m sure there was an expectation then—as there is today—that Jesus’ return was close at hand. He’s coming back, family! Soon! Get ready! Get your friends and family ready! Followers of Jesus will experience mercy on Judgment Day, not getting what we deserve.
 
Be merciful to those who doubt; (Jude 22)
 
This is a beautiful phrase. One translation states, “Be compassionate to those mentally wavering.”
 
Doubt isn’t sin. I don’t think it’s even a lack of faith, depending upon your definition. It is a struggle, a wrestling. The Bible is filled with godly people who wrestled with God, with faith, with belief. They need compassion, support, and understanding…never condemnation.
 
This past week I read an article about a woman who struggled with doubt for two decades. Michelle DeRusha offered these four suggestions in the midst of doubt:
 
1.    Acknowledge it. One of my favorite prayers in the Bible is from a man whose son was possessed by a spirit. While seeking healing from Jesus, he exclaimed,
 
 “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b)
 
We all have our moments of doubt. There’s no need for shame or embarrassment, but tragically many suffer in silence thinking they’re the only one. Family, we need to get real and share what’s really going on inside. Chances are, those around you are experiencing or have experienced the very same thing. When we hide, things can only get worse. I have questions. There are things about the Bible I don’t understand. In fact certainty can actually be an obstacle to faith rather than evidence of it. Jesus’ disciple Thomas was famous for doubting, yet God used him in powerful ways. Most likely his doubts tested and strengthened his faith over time.
 
2.    Connect with Your Community. Henri Nouwen wrote, “In times of doubt or unbelief, the community can ‘carry you along,’ so to speak…It can even offer on your behalf what you yourself overlook and can be the context in which you may recognize the Lord again.”
 
3.    Lean into Your Practice. Spiritual rhythms or habits can keep us going even when we don’t “feel” like it. Prayer, Bible study, small group, and Sunday mornings are just a few ways to feed your faith. Sometimes it feels like you’re just going through the motions, but don’t give up. Author Kathleen Norris writes, “It is in acts of repetition that seem senseless to the rational mind that belief comes, doubts are put to rest, religious conversion takes hold and feels at home in a community of faith.” One of the best spiritual practices is to serve others, getting the focus off of yourself.
 
4.    Live the Questions. Catholic priests during Eucharist say, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.” If we fully understood God, we would be God! Paul wrote to a church in Greece:
 
For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
 
We need to embrace our limitations, the questions, the doubt, and take them to the LORD. He can handle anything we throw at Him. Anything!
 
I want to declare today this is a safe community where questions are welcome. I love questions, and while I don’t claim to have all the answers, I want to do whatever I can to help you on your journey. Doubt is a ladder to climb, says writer Brad East, not a home. Questions and discussions and prayer can deepen our faith and trust in God.
 
Returning to our text in Jude,
 
Be merciful to those who doubt; (Jude 22)
 
You may be tempted to judge, condemn, teach, shame, or preach to doubters, but they need prayer, a listening ear, an encouraging friend, and empathy. Jesus himself said,
 
“Be merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
 
I hope this is always a safe place to doubt, to ask questions, to wrestle with faith. Let’s give one another “the benefit of the doubt.”
 
23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude 23)
 
There’s another likely reference to hell which we mentioned last Sunday. We need to redirect people from harmful behaviors which will burn them, but do it lovingly and wisely. No one is beyond God’s mercy and forgiveness, yet fear because the teaching of false teachers is contagious and corrupt.
 
Jude closes with a doxology.
 
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)
 
This is a beautiful expression of praise to God. He is able to keep us from being deceived by false teachers. He can lead us away from the lies of our culture. He is our firm foundation. He is merciful. We don’t get what we deserve, which is great news! He forgives all our sins, heals our diseases, and loves us unconditionally. Because of Jesus, we can stand before the Father “without fault and with great joy.” That’s amazing!
 
He has all glory, majesty, power, and authority. I love that this declaration is timeless, too, reaching all the way to 2024! Our God is awesome and worthy of praise! Hallelujah!
 
So What?
 
Mercy is more than a painful game played with friends. It’s a gift from God we are to receive, experience, and share with others. The merciful are slow to judge. They give others the benefit of the doubt. They relieve the burdens of others, serving, often out of the limelight.
 
Our community is filled with desperate people in need of mercy. While some gloat about the election results, others are scared about the future. We have dozens of unhoused people in our city, albeit some by choice. Hunger is real for some of our neighbors. My wife was hospitalized for a day last week and I was reminded of the sick around us. One writer (Johnathan K. Dodson) defined mercy as “expressing God’s kindness to someone with a name.”
 
Can you do that? Can we do that? To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). 
 
“Be merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
 
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24-25)

False Teachers, 10 November 2024, Jude 1-16

False Teachers
Little Letters: Jude, part 1
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 10, 2024
Jude 1-16
 
Series Big Idea: Little letters can contain big lessons.
 
Big Idea: False teachers and religions and cults are real, so we need to know and follow the truth.
 
Scripture Reading: Jude 3-6
 
Do you know what you believe? Do you know why you believe? Humans tend to be trusting, which means we can be deceived if we aren’t careful. Today is week one of a two-part series on the little letter of Jude, the second-to-last book of the Bible. The theme: false teachers.
  
Today there are millions of people involved in cults in the United States alone. These groups—often started by a charismatic leader—may present what sounds like the truth…with variances, some rather small but significant. There are those who deny the deity of Christ and those who deny his humanity. Some people believe Jesus never died and some that he never resurrected from the dead. Others preach a prosperity gospel driven by greed. Some promote cheap grace: do what you want and ask God for forgiveness. It’s very sobering to say this as a faith leader, but not all faith leaders are godly. Many are corrupt. This little letter offers important warnings for then—and now.
 
The author of this letter, Jude, is one of Jesus’ four brothers, or actually half-brother to be technical! These men did not believe in Jesus, at first, but they became disciples after the resurrection. I suppose if I saw my dead sibling walking, I might consider something supernatural was involved! This letter is likely written to Messianic Jews, Jews who recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
 
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
 
To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: (Jude 1)
 
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (Jude 2)
 
I pray that mercy, peace, and love would be abundant in your life, church family.
 
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 3)
 
This is arguably the key verse in this book. Contend for the faith. The original Greek word means to struggle for the faith. Wake up!
 
For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 4)
 
A 2022 study by Arizona Christian University concluded 37% of Christan pastors in the US have a biblical worldview. These are the people leading churches today. That means almost 2/3 of pastors don’t have a biblical worldview! How is this even a thing?!
 
I know it’s old school to say this, but in a world of gray there are some things that are black and white, right and wrong. The motivation must never be to judge or condemn, but rather to point people to Jesus. He perfectly modeled what it means to be human. Only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus conquered death and rose from the dead and lives today. Only Jesus declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
 
Paul warned Timothy,
 
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
 
I want to tell you it’s ok to do whatever makes you feel good, but it won’t be good for you. I want to tell you it’s all about you, but it’s not! I want to encourage, affirm, and tolerate everything you do so you will like me, but it will destroy you. As I used to tell my kids in moments of discipline, “I love you too much to let you do” whatever it is that is ungodly.
 
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 5)
 
These are sobering words, and there’s more.
 
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. (Jude 6)
 
Wow! Angels are real. Fallen angels—demons—are real and will be judged someday.
 
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7)
 
Family, it’s unpopular to say, but judgment day is coming. Hell is real. I don’t want you there! Sodom and Gomorrah were just a foretaste of what is to come for the unrighteous, those who are not followers of Jesus.
 
In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. (Jude 8)
 
God can speak through dreams, but they are never more important than God’s word.
 
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”  10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them. (Jude 9-10)
 
Their pride overestimates their own power, taking matters into their own hands.
 
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. (Jude 11)
 
Three biblical stories are mentioned in one verse that involve envy, greed, and rebellion. For further reading, visit Genesis 4 (Cain), Numbers 22 (Balaam), and Numbers 16 (Korah).
 
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 12-13)
 
Jude is not happy with these false teachers! What a list…six dark metaphors!
 
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”  16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 14-16)
 
Five more phrases! I’m glad we’re stopping here because this is getting intense!
 
So What?
 
False teachers and religions and cults are real, so we need to know and follow the truth. Eternity is at stake. Heaven is real. Hell is real. My simple definitions (get ready!) are
 
Heaven is where God is present.
Hell is where God is absent.
 
I can’t guarantee that heaven is up. How would that impact people in Australia?! I’m not sure we’ll wear halos and play harps on clouds all day.
 
There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Heaven is where God is present, and if you can imagine heaven without God, you might have already created hell.
 
Hell is where God is absent. There are debates about whether the fire is literal and if people will be tormented for eternity or eventually are annihilated. It will be worse than anything you can imagine. Although God is omnipresent—everywhere at once—I believe hell is the exception, the one place God is absent.
 
Over the years people have sung about being on a “highway to hell” and said, “See you in hell, my friend,” but it’s no joking matter.
 
If this subject has you concerned, you’re probably ok. God is not out to get you. Quite the opposite.
 
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
 
God doesn’t “send people to hell” so much as he gives us the choice to follow Him now and forever or reject Him now and forever.
 
“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it.” – C.S. Lewis
 
Apart from Jesus, none of us stand a chance on Judgment Day, but praise God He sent His son to die for us, that whoever follows Christ will not perish but have eternal life…with God.
 
False teachers and religions and cults are real, so we need to know and follow the truth, contending for the faith, speaking the truth in love. Judgment Day is coming. Are you ready?

One More Thing
 
Don’t be a false teacher, but rather proclaim truth…in word and deed. Judgment Day is coming. Are your friends and family ready?

Hospitality, 3 November 2024, 3 John

Hospitality
Little Letters: 3 John
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 3, 2024
 
Series Big Idea: Little letters can contain big lessons.
 
Big Idea: Welcome the stranger, extend hospitality, do good, and avoid evil.
  
When is the last time you were socially in a new place? Maybe it was a restaurant, a new country, the first day of class, or starting a new job. How did it feel to be a stranger?
 
We’re in a pre-holiday series called Little Letters. Last week we examined the book of 2 John and today we’re looking at another letter attributed to John the Apostle…3 John. Let’s dive in!
 
The elder,
 
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. (3 John 1)
 
If you were here last week, there were two words John used repeatedly—love and truth. You’ll see them in this letter, too.
 
Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (3 John 2)
 
This is a common prayer, even today. Notice John is not only concerned with the spiritual condition of his friend, Gaius, but also his physical body. Jesus set a great example of this by feeding large crowds while teaching them spiritual truths. Our bodies matter. They are God’s temple. Caring for our bodies is important since we can’t do much without them!
 
It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 3-4)
 
There he goes again, talking about truth…twice. John’s speaking of spiritual children, not necessarily biological sons and daughters. As a dad and papa, I can tell you there really is no greater joy than seeing my kids and g-kids doing well, in every sense of the word. Many of you can relate…and others of you will someday!
 
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,  even though they are strangers to you. (3 John 5)
 
This is the definition of hospitality: welcoming the stranger. Gaius is being commended for loving these strangers, missionaries who were traveling through, delivering the good news of the gospel about Jesus. Gaius is a good, faithful friend serving strangers for God’s glory. This is arguably the key verse in this little letter.
 
They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. (3 John 6)
 
Gaius is filled with love, the hallmark of the Christian, the follower of Jesus, especially toward traveling missionaries.
 
As the gospel was spreading from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), it required men and women to travel to unreached places with the good news, the message of Jesus Christ. Back then, you couldn’t check into an Airbnb, VRBO, or Holiday Inn! You relied on the help from others.
 
It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. (3 John 7)
 
The Name…Jesus. Even today, some Jews refer to God as Ha-Shem, “The Name.” These missionaries would travel to tell people about Jesus. Their audience was not helping them, obviously, so they needed fellow Christians to provide encouragement, food, money, lodging, prayer…hospitality.
 
We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. (3 John 8)
 
In the previous letter, John says don’t welcome wicked deceivers. In contrast, here he encourages hospitality to those proclaiming the truth.
 
Go back to my question. How did it feel to be a stranger in a new place? Maybe it was your first Sunday at College First. Perhaps you recently checked into a hotel or visited a new restaurant. Hospitality is a lost art in our culture today. Have you noticed? There’s one big exception, and it’s going to get me in trouble because it’s the one business that should never mentioned on a Sunday…Chick Fil-A. I’m sorry! Many of you have Chick Fil-A stories. Here’s mine.
 
On March 22, 2016, Heather and I wanted to throw an engagement party for our daughter, Rachel, and her fiancée Mark. After discovering Mark had never been to Chick Fil-A, we decided it was in our budget to throw them an engagement party—just the four of us—at a Chick Fil-A in Toledo.
 
Mark enjoyed the food very much, but about midway through the meal, Heather was about to get another order of fries. An employee came by and insisted he get them for her, during which we explained this was not only Mark’s first time at Chick Fil-A, but also their engagement party to which he said, “free milkshakes on the house. What flavor do you want?”
 
Mark’s jaw nearly hit the ground. Free fries with delivery to our table was one thing, but a round of milkshakes, too? He couldn’t believe the service, the generosity, the love. That’s hospitality…welcoming the stranger.
 
Family, that’s how Gaius was treating traveling missionaries, and it’s how we are to treat the stranger.
 
Hospitality is a big deal in the Bible. It is a requirement for church leaders according to 1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:8. Peter wrote,
 
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)
 
In one of the most fascinating verses in the Bible, we’re told,
 
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)
 
Wow! I wonder…!!!
 
This is a letter from John to the hospitable Gaius, but there’s two other characters to meet.
 
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. (3 John 9)
 
How would you like to be remembered forever as one who loves to be first and the one who fails at hospitality? Perhaps you’ve heard Jesus’ take on this. Matthew records three such references.
 
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:30)
 
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)
 
and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— (Matthew 20:27)
 
Other gospel writers record similar quotes from Jesus. Suffice it to say, Diotrephes is not a good dude!
 
So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. (3 John 10)
 
He’s the opposite of love, hospitality, welcoming the stranger. He’s evil.
 
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 11)
 
These are strong words, but so true. Can we pause for a moment and meditate on that verse? It would be a good one to memorize.
 
Evil is real. People are not the enemy, but our enemy uses people, deceives people, and the sin of people is arguably the source of all of the problems in our world. It’s not God’s fault that people drive drunk, abuse children, lie, steal, and all the rest. Satan is real. Demons are real. But God is greater! Now here’s the other guy.
 
Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. (3 John 12)
 
How would you like to be forever remembered in the Bible for this? What an honor, Demetrius!
 
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
 
This is similar to what he wrote in 2 John. Face to face is, indeed, better than a letter.
 
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. (3 John 13-14)
 
So What?
 
Welcome the stranger, extend hospitality, do good, and avoid evil. It’s simple, but not always easy. Can I offer two simple applications?
 
First, we can assist missionaries by praying for them, supporting them financially, welcoming them into our homes when they are here on furlough or home assignment, writing them letters of encouragement, or even taking a trip to serve alongside them in their community. Our church website has a page devoted to our local and global partners.
 
Second, let’s welcome the strangers around us. This might be an international student, a family from Haiti, a new neighbor, or simply someone looking for the bathroom in the lobby! One of my dreams for College First is we would be more welcoming then Chick Fil-A. People have told me we’re a friendly church—and they like the donuts!—but people aren’t looking for a friendly church. They’re looking for friends. I urge you to go out of your way today—and every day—and smile, say hello, and make everyone feel like they’re home…because they are!